Mischief on Midgard
by moonbird
Summary: Takes place after the first Avengers movies, then goes AU. If Odin truly sees Thor and Loki as equal, they ought to face equal punishment for equal crime. Thors suggestion is granted and Loki is stripped of his powers as he banished to midgard where he has to either proof himself worthy or spend the rest of his life on earth without any special powers.
1. Banishment

_AN: This fiction is currently under re-construction! _

_I got an Editor, Arei-The Peridot Dragon. Whom is doing such a fantastic job that I rather you read her version of the story than my version filled with so many spelling mistakes and grammatical errors. _

_That she is doing this is very generous, so please be patient. The story will be updated as she is done editing._

* * *

The events following the Chitauri attack on New York were by no means an easy time for Thor to go through despite the pyrrhic victory. And it was such a victory for him if not for the rest of the Avengers.

Loki, his only brother, had done unforgivable things. Loki had lied to him. Had tricked him. Had attacked both himself and his, _their_, friends; Sif and the Warriors Three. All for his own selfish ends.

And then…

Then he had let go at the Rainbow bridge. Loki. Thor had thought his brother had been lost him. For an entire year that image had been _burned_ into Thor's skull; Loki dangling from his staff, Thor holding said staff and Odin himself holding onto Thor's leg. Thor could to nothing but yell and plead, all else forgotten in that moment. He'd been too scared of the thought of Loki falling. Of his grip slipping from the staff. Of losing his only brother. Thor had seen the darkness flit across his brother's face. Had begged him, 'Loki No!'... but then all of Thor's worst fears had been realized. Loki let go. He let go and vanished down into the nothingness of dark space. Gone. In an instant, gone. And he was helpless in the face of it. Thor had yelled. He had screamed and cried. It had taken several people to finally calm him down, each telling him it wasn't his fault and that there was nothing he could have done. Thor had to accept the fact that he was never going to see his brother again.

Then news had come. Surprising news! Loki was alive. He was, against all odds, alive! Hope had blossomed within Thor's chest. Perhaps it wasn't too late! Perhaps they could still figure things out. As brothers. As a _family_!

But the Loki which had met him… was not the brother he had known. His eyes had been distant and cold. His words were sinister. Worse yet, he seemed to truly be enjoying himself as he caused havoc on Midgard.

His brother had acted like an animal, a caged beast that had finally been freed from its' leash. A wild animal that was finally allowed to just _be_. Loki had reveled in showing off his power and abilities. Had adored the fact that there was no one he had to appease, not even the All-father himself. Had so obviously loved it when his words had cut through Thor and hurt him, filling him with despair.

Even now, as Thor dragged Loki back with him to Asgard in chains, Loki didn't seem intent on showing that he'd had a change of heart. No remorse was visible in his eyes. In fact, he looked as if he was amused by the proceedings more than anything else. As if all of this was some sort of game to him.

It's not as if he could talk to his brother just then. Not until he was safely ensconced in his cell. Thor had elected to place a muzzle on his brother to silence his words, given that the dark-haired male simply _hadn't stopped trying_ to cause doubts in the ranks of the Avengers around him. Even with his hands and feet bound, his tongue had still been fast at work. Mocking, taunting, baiting and chuckling as if he knew some dark secret no one else did until Thor finally had enough and just slapped the damned thing over his mouth.

He needed to return Loki to Asgard alive _and_ whole. His brother pissing off the other Avengers wasn't helping him reach that goal.

As they reached the holding cells, Thor could finally remove the muzzle. He had honestly expected Loki to speak at once, something cruel and cold. Instead his younger brother had simply settled on glaring at Thor as he guided his brother into the cell. The silence dragged on, Loki's hands bound in front of him, his eyes burning with anger and yet… he remained silent.

"Brother..." Thor started hesitantly and then shoved said wariness aside to speak the words he needed to say. "Please! I beg of thee! Will you not show any signs of regret? You know as well as I that Odin will be merciful, if you just atone! Search your soul brother, please."

Loki tilted his head as Thor spoke and the anger faded from his eyes. At first, Thor was hopeful, but then his brother smirked, eyes alighting with cruel amusement instead of the prior fires of rage.

"'Brother'?" he repeated as he leaned his forehead against the bars. A soft, bitter chuckle escaped him. "You buffoon, somehow you still persist in your delusion. I have no brother. You disgust me."

Thor closed his eyes to hide the pain in them and Loki laughed louder. Oh, but his brother had chosen the words that would hurt him the most. He had gotten exactly what he wanted from Thor; his pain. Thor looked down to compose himself and when he looked back at his brother, the sorrow and pain was gone, replaced by anger.

"Very well then. Know that you've chosen your own fate!" he stated firmly.

Loki just made a face at him. Like that of a naughty child who had done nothing worse than being caught with his hand inside of the cookie jar! His was a smile that wasn't really apologetic or guilty, only amused that someone was upset with him.

Thor hissed furiously as he turned around and started to walk away.

"Oh, Thor?" Loki's voice rang out behind him. "I'm truly surprised that none of you asked me this. Then again, why should I expect either such foolish, short-lived mortals or you, who have oats instead of brains, to think of such a thing but… Have you not wondered how survived? How I even got to Midgard in the first place? Indeed, here's another pressing question; How did I get an entire army as well as that delightful toy that I used on your little bow-man?"

At that Thor's eyes widened and he turned around to face his brother.

"What?" he asked. "You…?"

Loki grinned at the flummoxed expression on Thor's face

"How… How _did _you get to earth?" Thor asked. Now that he thought about it, those were all… very good questions.

Instead of answering, Loki merely poked out his tongue at Thor like a child who'd gotten his way.

"LOKI!" Thor all but roared as he ran back to the cell. He reached between the bars and grabbed onto the front of Loki's armor. "Whose army were you controlling?!"

Loki just grinned at him, ignoring the tight grip on his chest armor and holding up his bound hands.

"You really believe that I'm going to tell you?" he asked, again sounding nothing but amused with Thor's antics. "Perhaps you might simply remember that, if I'm dead, then I definitely won't be able to tell anyone the answer to that question. I'll give you a little hint though. _Someone_ has had eyes on your precious 'Earth' for a while now. Someone who isn't me."

"Who?" Thor asked, shouted really, as he hoisted Loki up from the ground. "WHO?!"

Loki only laughed. Thor seethed as he let his brother go, realizing he probably wasn't going to get any more information out of Loki at this time. Thor turned around and left the area, neither being called back nor looking back. Once again, Loki had managed to turn the situation on its' head with only a few clever words. Loki might well be a prisoner, but he had a trump card that assured his own safety.

* * *

Thor approached Odin and Frigga shortly after his confrontation with Loki. He informed them of what they'd spoken of. The information made Odin frown, but he still showed no other emotion as he listened. Frigga in turn looked openly concerned.

"Father, please. We are honor bound to protect Midgard," Thor said in conclusion. "We need Loki to tell us the truth. As such, I believe that… execution should _not_ be considered when addressing Loki's crimes. There must be another way."

"Odin will _not _be executing his own son!" Frigga stated firmly from her spot next to Odin, she then turned to glare at her husband. A glare which was only ever rarely seen, but it was one that did not tolerate objections or excuses.

Odin though remained seemingly untouched by Thor's plea for his brother's life.

"Has Loki spoken of who it was that threatens earth?" he asked.

"No Father, but I do believe that there is someone behind this. Of that I am sure," Thor stated, his voice passionate with the hope that he could save Loki. "_Someone_ who owns an army far larger than troops that Loki controlled. Any General would not send his entire army to battle whilst being led by a stranger. Those that we fought were likely to have been mindless grunts and Loki… a scapegoat. Perhaps he was a willing scapegoat, but I believe that he was being used."

Frigga glanced down, her expression both pained and thoughtful.

"What is on your mind, my Queen?" Odin asked, able to read his wife's mood easily enough to know that she'd noticed something.

"From our perspective Loki has been gone for only a year's time," Frigga started carefully. "How-ever as I gazed upon him… yes, I am sure of it. He was many years older than when I saw him last. In the Void, 'Time' is relative. The Loki before us now is not the same Loki whom let go of the Bifrost bridge a year ago. He has been through much."

Thor closed his eyes and swallowed roughly at what his Mother was saying. How long had his brother truly been gone? He looked up again, meeting his Mother's pained eyes.

"Loki did tell me that," he said softly. "He said that he has wandered across many worlds. Seen things which would be beyond my own comprehension… He claimed that these experiences had allowed him to grow."

"And grown he has," Odin agreed, though his tone was still void of emotion. "He had grown more cunning and even more dangerous."

Thor closed his eyes again, the hope in his heart guttering like a fire about to be extinguished.

"Odin," Frigga looked at her husband a frown on her lips.

"I must think," Odin stated firmly. "And then I shall hear from Loki himself."

* * *

It was quite the scene; Loki was bound in chains wrapped around both his legs and arms, facing Odin, Frigga and Thor. His movement was so limited that he had to be held up by Asgardian warriors and yet Loki didn't seem bothered at all. Instead, he was smiling up at Odin amusement and challenge shining in his eyes.

"Loki," Odin said in greeting, his one bright eye narrowed on the recalcitrant form of his son.

"Odin," Loki replied, tone genial despite the look in his eyes.

"My son. What have you done?" Odin finally asked.

At that Loki scowled, the mask of amusement gone.

"We are not kin," he firmly stated in a cold tone.

Frigga couldn't help but glance away by those words, a wounded expression in her eyes.

"I am giving you a chance to show regret," Odin stated firmly. "You have caused the death of many people, both of Jotunheim and Midgard. What have you to say for yourself?"

Loki's scowl deepened, his glaring at Odin's form. He did not speak.

"So then, you refuse to answer me?" Odin asked.

"Why should I respond to _that_ kind of a question from _you_ of all people in the Nine-Realms?" Loki asked coldly. "I may have killed hundreds, true. You however, you killed _billions_!"

At that harsh outburst, Odin's one eye widened.

"You warred against Dark-elves. You warred against the Jotunn's. You even warred against the Kronan's," Loki casually counted his fingers. His tone turned mocking. "The grandest Warlord of the Nine-Realms. _Conqueror, _I name thee! And then _I_ try to conquer one measly little planet, this is what I get?"

Odin was clearly furious with his son's words. Even Frigga's hand upon his own was doing little to calm his growing ire.

"Humans kills thousands of their own, did you know that? Every single day people die mindless deaths that could be avoided. What's a few hundred lives to save the remaining billions living there?" Loki asked, spreading his hands as wide as he could given the chains wrapped around his wrists. "They could use the guidance if you ask me."

"QUIET!" Odin demanded, standing and slamming his staff against the ground. "Your arrogance has shown that you know _nothing_! You have learned nothing!"

"Father," Thor spoke up softly, recognizing that Loki's words had managed to get to even Odin. Loki's words were not randomly spoken. They were calculated and aimed at what would hurt those around him the most.

Odin seemed to realize this as well. He calmed down and took a breath before letting it out and reclaiming his seat on the throne.

"Loki… You _are_ my son and I wish to give you a chance to atone. You can start by telling us this; Who send you?" he asked. "Whose army were you using to stage your attack on Midgard?"

Once more, Loki merely grinned at the question being asked. Frigga looked to the side and then sighed before she looked back up at her son.

"Loki… You are also _my_ son," she said softly. "Don't think that I can't see through your masks."

Loki's grin twisted into a sneer and he shifted slightly.

"Something has you scared. You can speak my dear child, what is wrong?" Frigga asked and Loki growled in response.

"I fear _nothing_!" Loki stated, holding his head up proudly even as his hands clenched into fists.

Such a strong reaction though, told a different story and Frigga smiled. She was satisfied that she could still read him this much.

Odin's gaze remained harsh, even though he now saw what Frigga had noticed.

"You walked worlds and brought death, destruction and chaos where ever you went," he said firmly. "You understand that you could be facing your execution for your deeds?"

Loki laughed uproariously at the All-Father's words.

"You think that is funny?" Odin asked, both incredulous and enraged by the outburst.

"No! I have no doubt you would _love_ to see me dead and gone," Loki said with a cold grin and a glance at Thor. "Why do you think I kept my bargaining tool to myself? Just goes to prove my point, doesn't it? My so-called brother and I were never the same in your eyes were we?"

Odin's eye narrowed at the accusation.

"I gave you the same opportunists. The same chances," he said. "Either of you could have become King through merit and deed."

"LIES!" Loki seethed, eyes wild. "I may be known as the God of Mischief and Deception but you? Odin, _you_ are the King, the God, of _Liars_! You were never going to pick me. Does Thor even know the truth of the wars you fought? The people you killed or order killed? And what? You thought you could atone by picking up the little Jotun baby and taking it in? And now, whoopsie, that baby isn't what you wished it to be. It's time to cast it into a big hole or kill it! That's how you deal with your problems isn't it? Just put them where you can't see them or destroy them."

Odin was clearly fuming. Lightning nearly seemed to be leaking out of his very being and Loki smirked coldly, knowing he had hit the blow that he'd wished to land. Loki was being cruel but… Thor shook his head. Odin's earlier words had sparked a painful memory and Loki's words now...?

"Father," Thor stepped forward, towards his brother, before turning to look at Odin. "Loki… has a point."

"Dare you speak out against..." Odin started, but Thor held up a hand in an effort to calm his Father. Odin nodded after a moments stiff silence for Thor to continue.

"I… I myself nearly started a war between Jotunheim and Asgard. I know now in my hubris that millions would have died had I succeeded in my efforts. Hundreds still did die. Loki's crimes are not that much worse than my own," Thor stated, humbled by those deeds. He held his hands together, then pulled them apart, lifting one then the other before leveling them side-by-side. "Father… our crimes are nearly equal. No. Not nearly. They _are_ equal. Please, if we are truly equal in your eyes, the same chances, the same opportunities, then our punishments should be equal as well, should they not?"

Loki froze at Thor's words, his eyes going wide.

"No… Don't you dare suggest such a thing," he seethed, the words hissing from between Loki's teeth. Thor turned to him, a small smile filled playing over his lips.

"Oh, what's this then?" Thor asked lightly, ignoring the racing of his heart and the hope that, perhaps, he had lit on the way to save and redeem his dear brother. "Does the thought of living like a Midgardian for a while have you more scared than the thought of prison?"

Loki almost snarled, wrenching himself free of the guard's hands and stalking several steps towards Thor before they could restrain him.

"If you think I would ever lower myself to-" he started only to be cut off.

"So, this then would be the greatest punishment for you?" Odin asked in a conversational tone. Loki turned his head to the side, suddenly realizing his mistake in falling for his br-_Thor's_ taunting. "I see, I see."

Odin leaned back in his throne, amusedly stroking his beard. He turned to look at his wife and raised a brow at her. Frigga frowned and remained silent for a few moments, but finally nodded her consent. Odin turned back to look at his wayward son, the flicker of a smile on his lips.

"No," Loki breathed out when he looked forward and saw their expression. "You cannot do this!"

"Can't I? Let it be known by all that I am not an unfair man. For an equal crime, there will be an equal punishment," Odin stated as he leaned forward, his eyes going cold and serious. "My son, your crimes are against _two_ different realms to Thor's one. Thus, you may choose between them Loki. Shall I return you to your Jotunn form and send you to reside on Jotunnheim? Or shall I give you mortal form and send you to Midgard?"

Loki scowled at the supposedly 'fair' offer.

"Fear not, it shall only be until you proof yourself worthy once more to walk these halls," Odin commented, fully amused by Loki's sulking. "Though something tells me that you will not learn the lesson quite as quick as Thor did."

"You do realize the Midgardian's wish to see me dead, don't you? And that I killed Laufey?" Loki asked in a tone void of emotion once more. "Sending me either place is its' own death sentence. You might as well cut me down now."

"I'll allow you to choose a different form for Midgard," Odin stated as he leaned back. "However, this form will be permanent until you proof yourself worthy. And as for Jotunheim? I trust your obvious true species and silver tongue will help you convince them you are not the King-slayer. I'll assure that you blend in regardless. We can of course discuss other arrangements, if you would but tell us what you know."

Loki fumed but held his tongue. Then he changed form. It wasn't a massive change in truth, but it was just enough so that he no longer looked like the same person. His hair went from raven-black to brown and short. His skin from ghostly-white to having somewhat of a tan. His overall build remained tall and slender, with a rather handsome visage, but not too handsome. No need to attract unwanted attention. Only his eyes remained the same shining green, as if to mock any passerby who would see him and not recognize him.

"Ah I see, you have chosen Midgard. This is a wise choice," Odin nodded in satisfaction.

"It wasn't a _choice_ at all was it?" Loki spat out, his new visage twisting with anger and scorn. "So then, you _are_ going to seal my magic I assume. What about my strength?"

"Your strength will be reduced to match that of an Midgardian," Odin replied and Loki growled.

"Will you have me age like one to then?" Loki asked in a mocking tone.

"No, you are on Midgard to be taught a lesson, not to die. Your lifespan will remain the same. Be aware however, that you can be killed, so be wary," Odin advised in a solemn tone. "And of course, if you would change your mind and will tell us what you know… there will be room for negotiation. Any time you wish to speak, call upon Heimdal. He will respond to you."

Loki though clearly wasn't biting at the chance to avoid the punishment. Odin nodded his head and continued.

"Heimdal will keep a close eye on you, but you are not allowed to leave the realm until you proof yourself worthy," Odin informed him sternly. "Know this, if you harm the humans, or cause them to start a war, you _will_ face execution. Regardless of what Frigga says. You are _not _to harm as much as a single human, directly or indirectly."

"Oh, so you _will_ keep watch over me like a dog," Loki smirked. "Fine then. I'll play your game."

"This is no game Loki," Odin stated firmly.

Loki just gave him those mischievous eyes as if saying… 'whaaaat?' while putting a finger on his lip. Even wearing the visage of a different man, it was still so clearly Loki. Then suddenly, a glow spread across Loki.

"Ahh… AAAARRRHHH!" he growled out as he fell to his knees.

Odin's eye was fastened on him in a harsh glare as he mumbled, one hand reaching out towards his wayward son as he cast the spell to remove Loki's magic and limited his strength.

Loki snarled, braced as he was with his hands on the ground. He twisted and turned where he knelt, but he refused make another sound of pain. Struggled to fight against the magic being cast.

"You… old _fool_," he hissed out between clenched teeth, only to suddenly jerk backwards as the spell overwhelmed him. "ARGH!"

Thor had to turn his head away. Had to fight his instincts to go help his brother.

Then, just as abruptly as it had started, Loki was still and the glow vanished completely. Loki slowly lifted his head and frowned in annoyance as he reached forward a hand to cast a spell… Nothing happened.

He closed his eyes, trying to call upon the simplest of spells and, yet again, there was nothing.

"Your magic has been sealed away," Odin informed him, letting his hand fall back to the arm of his throne. "Your connection to the magic flowing through the world, through your veins, has been cut. So too has your strength been stripped from you and your connection to the realms severed. Were any to look upon you, they would see naught but another Midgardian."

"And now you are going to confine me to the mudball they so un-imaginatively call 'Earth'? It is a bigger prison but a prison still. Very well then. It does sound more entertaining than remaining in the dungeons of Valhalla," Loki asked in an amused tone. His tone shifted to one of seeming innocence. "Why, I might even run into some of Thor's friends."

"You are _not _to harm a human. Remember that," Thor warned Loki in a threatening tone. "And _they_ may not know what you look like now, but I do! Give me a reason to do so and I will inform them of the situation!"

Loki chuckled and waved one bound hand dismissively.

"Oh, how _amusing_ you are Thor," he stated. "As if I honestly care about any of them."

He turned back to Odin even as Thor clenched his hands in frustration.

"Well then, shall we begin?" he asked holding his chained hands forward. "I am quite bored of this farce."

Odin frowned as he stood up, stepping away from his throne and walking forward until he stood directly in front of Loki.

"You shall not return until you have proven yourself worthy," he stated firmly, though his voice had soften perhaps a touch. "Do you have anything you wish to say before you leave?"

"What in the Nine-Realms could I possibly have to say?" Loki asked with a dark chuckle.

"You are standing in the same room as your mother, father and brother," Odin pointed out. "It may be hundreds of years before you will see any of us again. And yet you have nothing you wish to say?"

Loki's eyes turned as hard as emeralds.

"I am standing in the room with three _strangers_," he replied, his cold eyed focused on Odin's face. "Let me assure you of this old man, when I let go of Bifrost I had no plans to return here. _Ever! _So, do as you will. Send me away. It suits me just fine to think that I will never have to see you again."

Thor looked down once more. He could not deny that Loki's words hurt, a lot, and he knew that had been Loki's intention. What hurt the most was seeing their own mother having to turn her head to hide her tears.

"Very well then," Odin stated, what softness which might have been in his voice was gone. "This is what you have chosen. Farewell, my son."

Odin then placed a hand on Loki's chest and he seemed to disappear in a flash of light. Thor knew very well what was happening now; Loki was being thrust across all of the Nine-Realms towards his new 'home'. His new 'prison'.

Towards Midgard.

* * *

_This chapter has been edited by __Arei-The Peridot Dragon_


	2. First day on Midgard

_Falling… Forever falling… _

_He'd been falling now for what seemed like an eternity. There were no sounds. There was no air to breath. __Nothing to reach out towards to grab onto and stop his unending descent._

_There was nothing but Darkness…_

_Eventually, though he could not see them, he started to hear the growling of **beasts**. The monsters that lurked in the deepest depths of the void. They echoed from both beneath him and from above._

_As he fell, he would often wish that one of those monsters would find him. Find him and end his miserable existence… end the mind-numbing Nothingness._

_How long had he been falling now...?_

_Weeks? Months? **Years**? There was no way to tell here. There was no bright light of a sun rising and falling to tell the days apart. No conversation to distract his mind. There was nothing underneath him to end his long fall… _

_Nothing._

_That Nothingness was crushing him, both his body and mind…_

_Still, in the face of it all, he did not regret the events that had led him to this point._

_If he had allowed Thor to pull him up, then he would have been put on trial at once. He would have, more than likely, been locked away without a key or executed. If he let go of Thor's hand then...? Well. In truth, it would not have mattered either way. Why would it? Life as he had known it was over all the same. At least this way... **he** had the final say in what his fate was to be.  
_

_He would not give **Odin** that satisfaction. If his life was going to end, then at least he could say that it was by his own hand… his own choice. Odin would have no power over him. Not anymore.  
_

_None of them did. His final act had been the epitome of that belief. His choice meant that they would no longer be control his fate. Only he would. Only his, **Loki's**, will mattered._

_He would not allow himself to be controlled like that agai-_

_Suddenly a deep voice boomed, filling the air around him and drowning out the distant, hungry cries of the monsters in the Dark._

_"What is this? A falling Godling?"_

_Loki's eyes widened and he could have sworn that he felt that person **reaching** for him. He knew that voice. He knew that **presence.** No! He would not allow himself to be controlled. _

NO! _Loki thought as he twisted about. _No, you wont control me this time. Never again will you control me _**THANOS**_!

* * *

Loki's body hit earth in a crashing, disorienting impact that left him stunned while also pulling him back to the 'now'. A rain of bricks and dust fell across him and he groaned. As he laid on his back, he found himself bitterly wondering why the impact hadn't killed him. It would have killed a _regular_ Midgardian after all.

"Urghh..." he groaned, trying to blink away the dust that obscured his vision.

Slowly, as the dust started to settle, Loki tried to take in his immediate surroundings. He was surrounded by rubble and not just that which was from his own impact. The area was far too big to have been caused just by _him_. As his vision finally cleared, he saw the massive sky scrapers towering above him. The windows that still remained glistened in the bright sunlight, though many of them were broken from a fight. A fight which had taken place only a few short days prior to his graceless landing.

_Great… New York,_ Loki thought bitterly to himself. _It's just like Odin to add an additional layer of tedious punishment to this farce by dropping me right into the heart of the battlefield. I bet it was an attempt to have me see the damage I'd caused for myself up close so that I can feel 'guilty' about it. Well, too bad **Odin No-One's-Father**. I don't feel any guilt!_

Slowly Loki sat up, taking note that his body body was sore and protested any movement after the fall. He was about to throw a few curses Odin's way for putting him through such humiliation when he heard voices.

"It came from over there!" a male voice shouted.

The dust was still thick enough that he could not see who was coming, but he knew he shouldn't allow himself to be seen by them just yet. Slick as a cat, Loki got to his feet and ran the opposite direction of the voices until he found a pile of debris large enough to shield him. He caught his breath, annoyance filling him that he had to even do such a thing.

He heard voices draw nearer as the people approached the crater that had been created by his fall.

"Was... was that crater there before?" a man asked, confusion ringing clearly in his tone.

"I have no idea. There's were way too many craters made cause of all that damned fighting," another man replied.

"Yeeeah… this _does_ look like something that could have been made by the HULK," the first one admitted. "It's definitely big enough."

"The HULK… you don't think...?" the second one asked, his voice suddenly sounding tense. Loki could practically picture the Midgardian looking around fearfully.

"Don't be stupid man," came the frustrated response. "SHIELD is keeping him under observation. Even _if_ Mr. Stark is insisting on housing him in his own tower. You know well that, if the HULK was loose, we would be _notified_."

Loki glanced from behind the rubble and caught a glimpse of several men. Each one was in some kind of uniform and all of them were wearing armbands with the S.H.I.E.L.D. insignia design sewn into them. They also had those odd little ear-pieces in their ears. Loki recognized them as tools that Midgardian's used to communicate with each other across long distances from the time he was using the Bow-man and the other Agents. Loki turned away from the group and looked for a way out of the area. A brief examination of the area showed that it had been evacuated and closed off. He had to get out of here, but how to do so without his magic?

Loki glanced down at himself and grimaced. He was still wearing the same clothes as when he attacked New York. Like that wasn't a dead give-away as to who he was.

_Damn you to **Hel** Odin,_ Loki snarled mentally. _You said you were going to make sure that I blended in. This is **not** 'blending in'!_

Sighing softly enough not to be heard, Loki pulled off the outer layer of his outfit which was comprised mostly of his leather armor, what could essentially be considered a coat in leather by the Midgardian's, the chest piece beneath it and his wrist cuffs. All of them were dropped to the ground in a careless heap until Loki was left in a simple black tunic that was only there to protect his skin from being chaffed by the armor. Even Asgardian skin would succumb to harsh things such as leather or iron rubbing constantly against bare skin.

Loki looked himself over once more and nodded to himself. Black tunic, leather pants and leather boots. Passable for Midgard standards. Loki then examined his hands, which were still long and slender but now had a tan to them, before looking up at his reflection in a broken window. He nodded again in self-satisfaction. He had chosen his form very carefully indeed. From past experiences, Loki knew that being in a form too different from his true-self for too long would be unsettling, if not difficult to function in, so he had ensured that his temporary form had a very similar body type and mass to it compared to his original self. Changing one's hair and skin color was an easy way to throw people off to, and he had deliberately chosen the most common hair color for Midgardian's. Not to mention a very common skin color. His usual ghostly, pale skin would stand out, so having a tanned complexion would be perfectly normal for Midgard.

His eyes though? The color was something that he would keep. Eyes that spoke of who and what he truly was; a secret hiding in plain sight. Free for anyone to see, yet he was certain that they would not be smart enough to figure said secret out.

He'd had to tone down his features. At least somewhat. Good looks would help you get ahead in any of the Nine Realms, it was true, however having _too_ perfect a face would garner unwanted attention. Something that he would rather avoid for the time being.

Finally the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents behind him seemed to have decided that the noise of his landing was likely nothing more than surrounding rubble collapsing. They moved back to whatever it was that they had been doing before and Loki was left in silence. He turned to a large stone beside him and tilted his head as he looked it over. A stone like that would have been easy for him to lift just a few scant hours ago.

Loki frowned as he put his hands on it, getting a good grip. He then started to pull, to lift the damned thing. Nothing happened. It didn't even budge an inch. He started to hiss through his teeth as he put his back into it, but the stone remained hopelessly stuck as if to spite him. Loki let go with a snarl, stumbling a bit by the loss of a counter balance point.

He seethed in annoyance even as he swiped at his mouth with a sleeve. He was pathetically _weak_ right now. Dammit. And Damn Odin again for good measure.

Loki turned away from the useless rock and started out of the area. As he neared the outer perimeter he frowned, once more annoyed by the situation that he was in. The _entire area_ was closed off by a massive fence and there were S.H.I.E.L.D. agents _everywhere._ They were probably there to ensure that no one tried to sneak in. The problem was that Loki needed to sneak _out_!

_Great, just **wonderful**!_ Loki thought to himself with a sneer. _I know just what this is now. Odin wants to make sure that I follow his little rule about not hurting his precious Humans. __Well fine then! _

Loki looked over his own body and found several scrapes and blue bruise-marks dotting his form, both from his previous fight and his current fall. Given that some were faded and some fresh why... This was good indeed! He was also covered in dirt, dust and sweat which, while beneficial for the now and then, he intended to wash away the first chance he got. He leaned forward, hunching in on himself as if in barely tolerable agony. He then let out a haggard breath and focused on keeping his breathing uneven. Strained. He needed it to sound like he was having trouble breathing. Allowing his leg to drag behind him, as if it was barely holding his weight, he started to walk forward.

Or rather… he drag himself forward.

At first, no one seemed to notice his approach. Suddenly a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent turned his head and yelled out at his approaching form.

"HALT!" the man shouted, hand on his weapon. "Who's there! Identify yourself!"

At that Loki suppressed the urge to smile and held up a hand imploringly. He kept his gaze unfocused, as if he were not fully aware of his surroundings.

"Help… Help me," he said in a weak voice. He stumbled, catching himself on some debris and then started to cough.

He certainly was making a big show of it.

More S.H.I.E.L.D. agents became aware of his presence. Several were eyeing him warily with their guns aimed at him. Others were taking in his battered looking form, a wary kind of concern filling their eyes.

"He… heeeeelp," Loki groaned out and then let himself fall to the ground.

It had the desired effect, as yelps of concern sounded from several throats and once voice in particular boomed out over the others.

"OH MY GOD! It's a survivor!" the voice cried out, both shock and an odd kind of joy in their voice. "Everyone! Lower your weapons!"

The next thing he knew, several agents had rushed towards him. One got to him ahead of the others and waved the rest back. Another approached, rapidly dropping to his knees to look him over.

"Give the man some space! Back up and keep watch!" the standing man barked out.

"Sir… SIR!" the man next to him practically yelled. "Can you hear me? Can you understand me?!"

Loki groaned low, making a show out of how difficult it seemed to be to open his eyes as he looked upwards. His gaze focused on the worried-looking man.

"Wa… Water...?" he asked in a plaintive voice.

The man turned his head and called over his shoulder.

"Anyone got water on them?!"

"I GOT SOME!" another voice shouted. There was a bit of movement before the kneeling man opened the bottle and pressed it towards Loki's lips.

"Don't worry sir," the man said in a soothing voice. "We'll get you some help! Just hang on okay?!"

Loki drank the water offered to him as if he were parched. It may have been water that he didn't actually need at the moment, but needs must to keep up his little charade.

"Where did you come from?" the standing man asked.

"Tra… trapped. I was... trapped. Couldn't… get out… couldn't," Loki hissed out between his teeth before letting his eyes go wide, wet and earnest. "Maria! Where is Maria? Is she safe?"

The sudden looks on the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents faces were pale and filled with horror. Priceless really.

"Sir… I... I'm sorry. We can't tell you that right now," the agent holding the bottle said. "However, we can get you to people who can help you, alright?"

"Maria... she has to be alright. She's... she's," Loki continued with wet eyes, tempted to let a few tears fall to add to the drama. "We... we're going to the beach next month and... and I made it out... so we could go to the beach together like I promised. I kept my promise... Right?"

Several of the agents nearby looked absolutely heart-broken. Two more came running over with a stretcher held between them and they lowered it next to Loki's seemingly prone form.

"It's alright buddy, it'll be alright," a nearby agent agent said softly, obviously barely keeping back his own tears. "You made it. We're going to get you help now. I'm... I'm sure Maria is looking forward to that beach trip with you."

Loki nodded and let out a weakly muttered, "Yeah..."

Although it was a little annoying, he allowed several hands to get him up on the stretcher. The S.H.I.E.L.D. agents merrily carried him outside of their little barricade. It was all nice and safe. No risk involved for anyone. He even allowed them to carry him over to what looked like a safe house where several other wounded from the incident were laying down resting and all had been bandaged up as much as possible. More people came over, insisting that he drink a little more water and eat a thin porridge, 'slowly now!'. All this while also assuring him that a doctor would be with him 'very soon!' They seemed to be short staffed. A fact which suited Loki just fine.

Once he was finally left alone in the room, well, alone with only the wounded who weren't even remotely paying attention to him, he stood up and glanced over his shoulder as he walked to the window and opened it up.

"Thanks for the lift," he said with a sneering sarcastic laugh in his voice.

He jumped out of the building and walked away from the safe shelter with hands in his pockets.

* * *

_This chapter has been edited by Arei-The Peridot Dragon_


	3. Monster in the alleyway

Loki looked at a big screen suspended over the city, a frown marring his face. An image of his own face was currently being featured on the big screen, his real self that is, with black hair and pale skin wearing his old Asgardian armor that he'd just recently abandoned. The image showed him standing on top of the Stark tower, hoisting his staff high while a bunch of text scrolled by beneath the moving image. As he tracked the words rolling by, he realized that they covered all kinds of news from Midgard. Most of it looked boring.

Scratch that. _All_ of it looked boring.

There was no sound to accompany the images on the screen, sadly, so he had to make due with watching the changing images. Images that would go back to himself with high frequency. The others featured most often were Tony Stark, Bruce Banner and Steven Rogers. Oddly enough, the red-haired woman who had tricked him into sharing information and the guy with arrows that had been one of his first pawns seemed to be mysteriously missing from the little roster on the screen.

Reading the text may have been dull, but Loki was able to garner _some_ information from the mess. Bruce Banner had been pardoned due to his heroics in the New York incident. What he needed to be pardoned _for_, was not something they listed. Some guy called Lieutenant Ross certainly wasn't happy about it from the looks of things. A captioned video of him looking apoplectic played, with him viciously calling the HULK a high level threat to society. Honestly, it was rather hard to disagree with that one given Loki's first-hand experience with the brute.

Loki frowned as he brought a cold sandwich to his mouth, taking a decent bite before he slowly chewed said food. Something else that he'd found that he had to deal with in this form was hunger. Now Loki had only very rarely felt hunger in his life, both because he'd been raised as a Prince and due to Asgardian/Jotun natures. They didn't need as much food as Midgardians did. In fact, he usually only ate because it was necessary to do so to stay sharp and aware. Further more, food fueled his magic so it was common sense to eat if he was planning on using a lot of magic in a short amount of time. Because of their better natures, it wasn't an absolute must to eat at all times.

Now though? He started to feel pathetically weak if he didn't eat. Not even three hours after his arrival and he'd started to light-headed with his stomach voicing those odd-sounding complaints.

_So this is hunger?_ he'd thought to himself in annoyance. _And these humans feel like this all the time? How inconvenient._

Thankfully, food had been easy enough to come by. Several tents had been put up to aid victims from the New York incident. Lines of people had formed in front of said tents and those in line were offered free food and water. Not the highest quality of food, but food none-the-less. All Loki had to do was to join one the many lines.

That was not all to find in amongst the tents. There were also huge containers filled with donated clothes for the self same victims. There were people trying to sort said clothes into different categories as they handed them out; sizes, color, etc. Once again, all Loki had to do was join a line, play his part as a down trodden victim and he was walked off with at least one full set of Midgardian clothes.

He couldn't say he was particularly fond of them though. Rough pants which the Midgardians called 'jeans', a black t-shirt that was scratchy and… the people handing things out had called it a hoodie? Regardless, the clothing served its' purpose of allowing him to blend in further still amongst the masses. The coat he had managed to snag on top of all the rest was at least dignified, a long and simple black thing that had _some_ class to it.

He would simply have to acquire different clothes at a later time. For now though, he needed to ensure he had the basic things he needed for survival, namely food and shelter._ Then_ he could see about obtaining clothes that he actually might find acceptable to his standards.

Shelter was an easy thing to acquire at least. Loki could once again simply join the refuges as multiple tents had been put up in the local park making a 'tent city'. Blankets were handed out to anyone who asked in order to protect from the nights chill. Loki couldn't exactly say that he was a fan of the idea of sleeping back to back with all the Midgardian's, but the idea of sleeping outside in the cold when he was as vulnerable to the weather as such weaklings was ill-advised. For now, it was convenient to huddle up for warmth with the rest.

As he laid there one night, he heard a mother nearby talking to a child held close in her arms. She kept whispering that it was going to be okay, that they would find a new place to stay soon and they were just having an 'adventure' sleeping outside. Loki wondered if this was also something that Odin had intended for him to see. Was he supposed to feel _sorry_ for these people now? Just because he was laying right next to them?

If that was the plan, why then, he must say that the Old Man failed in his mission. At most, Loki felt very annoyed over the constant sobbing and yammering going on around him. Clearly these people were fine. They were fed, clothed and had shelter as well! He just wished they would be _quiet_ already so he could_ get some **sleep**!_

It was a pity that Midgard had grown a lot more complicated than it had been in the past. Loki couldn't just dig up a jewel and buy a house by the coast these days. No… The stupid Midgardians needed _more_. He would have to forge an entire identity proving that he was one of them just to get a place to live! Absolutely fantastic. And before he could even start doing _that_, he'd found out that he would need money to pay for said new identity. Which led back to the fact that it would have been a whole lot easier to _get_ money if he had an identity in the first place.

A Catch-twenty-two as the Midgardian's called it.

Bloody nuisance was what it was!

Loki grumbled in annoyance at seeing the footage of himself for the fifth time and took another bite of his sandwich. Honestly. It was just the same damned thing over and over on a loop! All he had learned from watching that foolish contraption was that he was 'evil', the Avengers were 'heroes' and something called Coca Cola somehow made people and white bears sing and dance.

Loki turned away from the screen as he finished his sandwich and carelessly threw the wrapper away over his shoulder as he walked, ignoring the tired and disgruntled sounding 'hey!' as the trash hit someone. He had more important things to do.

Well... For now anyway, he just needed to find a way to obtain a bit of pocket money. He could worry about obtaining larger sums of cash later on. And really, what better way to obtain something that to take it from the undeserving? With that in mind Loki smirked briefly before he turned to walk down an alleyway, the really dark and dirty kind, as he purposely moved toward the cheaper parts of town.

Thanks to Odin's ruling, he wasn't allowed to harm humans. But surely there were exceptions to that rule? Self-defense was always an honorable recourse to fall back on, was it not?

In the end, putting his plan into motion was way too easy. Humans were pathetically predictable.

A young guy, just a kid really with skin as dark as coffee and hair as black as Loki's true hair color had been, stepped out in front of Loki with a gun in hand.

"Yo! What ya doing or our turf?!" the boy asked as more kids joined him. All of them were wearing hoodies and bagged pants that looked as ragged as the rest of the refugees in the area.

"Don't you know this turf is ours?!" another shouted more than asked while wearing an expression that was likely _meant_ to be intimidating, but to Loki the boy merely looked constipated.

Loki smirked briefly in amusement, but said smirk was swiftly replaced by a terrified looking expression as he held up his hands.

"I… I didn't know," he stammered in a frightened voice. "I just… I was lost!"

"Well then," the kid with the gun waved it at him with a mocking grin. "I'll cut ya a deal; ya give us your money and you ain't gonna be hurt!"

"I… I have no money," Loki informed them in a 'shaking' voice. It helped that he was telling the truth, the best lies always carried a kernel of truth in them after all. "Please, I don't want any trouble. Listen, just let me go and no one will have to be hurt."

"You bet ya," the second one laughed. "If we _did_ let you go that is, but we wont. If ya can't give us money, your the one'll get hurt."

The boy grinned coldly and pulled out a knife that had been tucked away in the back of his pants. Surprisingly, the blade was a long looking dagger. Didn't most Human's carry those weak little things called 'switchblades'? He'd seen a few refugees using them as tools or utensils to eat their food so it was a little odd to see a full on dagger.

Loki's eyes lingered on the dagger for a moment more before he turned his attention back to the faces of such foolish children.

"Listen," Loki stated in a clear voice, tilting his head up slightly so that Heimdall could easily read his lips. "I don't want any trouble. Put those weapons away and no one will have to be hurt."

At that the group of kids all laughed, sharing various looks of incredulity at his bravado. Given their numbers, it was obvious that they thought they had the advantage over him. Poor delusional little fools. Numbers didn't mean everything and they were about to learn that the hard way.

"Well, this sure ain't your lucky day," a kid stated aiming his gun at Loki rather than continue to wave it around threateningly.

Loki tilted his head as he looked at the Midgardian boy.

"I do believe that you have that backwards," he informed the kid in a bland tone.

The kid blinked in confusion at that. The lack of fear in Loki's tone and stance _should_ have warned him that something was up.

"What?" he asked rather simply.

He didn't get to say anything else as Loki _moved_. Fast as lightning, he was suddenly next to the kid. Loki's hand closed around the wrist of the hand holding the gun. Now Loki might not have his natural strength and magic, but that didn't mean that his skill at fighting had been reduced. His grip tightened around the boy's wrist, squeezing hard enough to make the kid yelp.

"Now look at what you made me do," he stated in a conversational tone as he twisted the kid's hand about, the movement forcing him to drop the gun.

The others let out startled yelps and there were abruptly several other guns pointed in Loki's direction. Rather than cower or attempt to flee from the new arsenal pointed his way, Loki licked his lips and chuckled. In the next moment he threw the kid at the others, who had foolishly stayed grouped together, causing most of them to fall down in a heap. He turned to the kid with the dagger and grinned coldly.

The kids eyes were wide with fear and even though the blade was still pointed at Loki, it was obvious that he was frozen in shock. The kid didn't move as Loki approached him and simply stood where he was was shaking in fear as he looked up at at the taller man.

"You're not even holding that right," Loki pointed out with an amused laugh. "Here, let me show you."

He grabbed the kids hand, twisted it around using the same move that he had used to disarm the other boy. The kid let out a yelp and paled with the knife switched hands so easily. Loki held the blade up, weighing it and feeling the grip.

"Nice balance, thanks. I'll be keeping this," he informed the kid as he slipped the blade into his belt. He then lifted his foot and kicked the boy right in the chest.

Loki grinned as he turned around, opening up the wallet that had 'found' its way to his hands while he dealt with the dagger-boy. He pulled out the cash inside and tossed the wallet carelessly on the ground.

"HEY!" the kid shouted, indignant that the tables had turned. "That's my money, you can't just...!"

Loki turned enough to look at him innocently over his shoulder.

"Why? You were fine taking _my _money weren't you?" he asked as he pulled out a second wallet out of his coat pocket. The another kid that he'd disarmed let out a gasp and started to pad his pockets as he searched for the missing wallet, having not noticed Loki's slight of hand. "There's a saying where I come from, maybe you've heard it before; What comes around goes around."

He turned around, tossing the second wallet on the ground as he finished emptying it of its' monetary contents.

Suddenly a gun shot sounded through the air.

All fell quiet. Loki slowly turned his head to look behind him. One of the kids that still had a gun was standing with hands shaking...smoke was curling up from the gun's barrel.

"Oh dear foolish child," Loki started with a sigh and a shake of his head. When he looked up, his eyes were dark and deadly, "you shouldn't have done that."

All the kids gasped in startled fright. The fact that Loki hadn't even flinched was probably the most intimidating aspect of the situation. It took two long steps for Loki to reach the kid that had fired at him. He grabbed the collar of the boys shirt and hefted him up so suddenly that the boy dropped the gun in fright and screamed like a little child.

"It didn't need to reach this point you know," Loki sighed deeply. "I gave you a fair chance didn't I? If you had just left me alone when I asked."

He then reached out with his free hand, causing the boy to whimper and flinch in his grasp… only to pull out the kids wallet and put it into his own pocket. He lowered the kid down on the ground.

"Listen, I'll give you an advice," he started, giving the boy a grin. "When you are clearly out matched, don't be a hero… Just run."

He finally let go of the boy's collar and playfully gave the kid a condescending pat to the cheek.

"Now, now! No need to look so terrified. Not a single one of you are hurt!" he stepped back and stretched his arms out wide. "It's just a harmless little prank!"

All the kids were shivering, terrified and struck mute by the situation they'd found themselves in. Loki looked them over and his smirk widened.

"If you can't take the heat, don't walk into the fire," he said with an amused chuckle. "You'll never know what monsters you may encounter in a dark alleyway after all!"

The kids stayed silent and shaking. Loki turned towards the one he'd hefted up.

"Now… I gave you some advice. Did you learn from it?" Loki asked with a chuckle.

The kids shared a look and finally scrambled up onto their feet before running. They ran as fast as they could _away_ from Loki.

"Good choice," Loki smirked and then looked up. "Not a single one hurt Heimdall!"

There was no response verbally or mentally. There was no sudden, wrathful pain to knock him down. Well then. That meant his actions had been seen as acceptable. Loki smirked. He knew he shouldn't push it too far, but testing one's boundaries was always a good idea. He took the dagger back out and held in his hand to give it a closer look. Its' balance _was_ nice, but the blade itself was sadly dull.

"Tch," Loki muttered. "Learn how to take care of your tools."

He was annoyed by the look of the blade, but still put tucked the dagger into the inner pocket of his coat. The pocket already had a hole in it, so it worked well enough to conceal the long blade. He then pulled out the last wallet that he'd stolen and looked it over. The other two wallets had been made in some cheap fabric in abhorrent colors. This one though was made of brown leather and more to his taste. Satisfied with the look of it, he emptied out the useless items such as the plastic cards he had no use for and put the other money he had taken inside of it before tucking it away.

Well then... he had a bit of pocket money now. He probably shouldn't stretch his luck with this kind of trick though. Sooner or later Heimdall would start to consider it to be 'harming humans'. Even if it was for their own good to be taught a lesson. Then again, what else was he expected to do but essentially forage to survive? They couldn't _all_ just conveniently be picked up by a group of scientists willing to give you shelter and food like _Thor_.

Hel, if he had looked like _himself_ he would have had to be very careful to avoid being seen. His face was _everywhere _in the city right now.

Why did Odin have to put him back _where the bloody staff was_?!

Not only that but... One of the most annoying things to remember about New York was that Loki had no idea which actions were _his a_nd which actions had been the _staff's _doing.

When Thanos had first offered him the deal, Loki had laughed. The idea of being someone else's pawn after what he'd been through? No. He would not succumb to such cheap temptation. He had spent his entire life being a slave to Odin's wishes and it was going to stop! He would serve no one but himself. That was what he had decided from the very moment he had let go of his staff at the Bridge! He had been determined, so determined to be his own person, that he had even refused Thanos's offer to save him from the void and then the blood-lust of his own children.

But the staff, the _staff_ had whispered sweet words in his ear. Shown him how great it would be to take over Midgard and rub it in Thor's face. It had played to Loki's own feelings, urging him to go and get the Tesseract. Even when the staff had been removed from his person, its' sweet whispers of greatness had persisted. Only when the Hulk had grabbed Loki and smashed him into the ground multiple times had the connection between them been broken. Yet... it was too late by then. Loki was neck deep in the battle and had to continue the charade or lose face.

It was frustrating… The entire incident may have been caused completely by his own will or maybe not at all. He didn't know.

But he sure as Hel wasn't about to let anyone _else_ know how uncertain he was.

He had spend his entire life being Odin's little pawn, groomed to be a sweet little Asgardian. Their little _toy_… No, he would not admit that he had only shifted hands. And it wouldn't happen again. He would control his own life this time! In whatever way that he could, he would forge his own path and not be other people's pawn.

Not Odin's! Not Thor's! Not Thanos'!

They thought they could toy with him. Use him. They would learn. _All _of them.

Loki looked up at the sky and frowned… Thanos was coming. He knew that, but when? How much time did he have to prepare and what could he even _do_ in his mortal form?

He would figure something out he decided. He would show them that he didn't need magic nor godhood to win. If all he had left was his wits and the non-magical skills that he had learned over the long years, then so be it.

It would have to be enough to show them he was in _no ones_ shadow.

* * *

_This chapter has been edited by Arei-The Peridot Dragon_


	4. Toomes Salvage company

A few days had passed on at Midgard. Sadly, Loki was yet forced to scrape by for day to day necessities, but things _were_ getting easier for him.

He had found hostel that accepted cash and not just 'card'. It was not an ideal situation but it was a sight better than sleeping outside on the street or huddle amongst the masses in the tent cities. Small amounts of cash to pay for his room and food were easy enough to come by now, but continuing to commit small time robberies, mugging would-be muggers and the occasional pick-pocketing was not a viable solution for his long-term needs. Not only that, sooner or later he would be noticed.

And he could not afford that.

He had acquired more tasteful clothes as well; pants and waist coat in a soft brown fabric as well as a beige shirt. The outfit was topped off with a nice, long dark coat. To complete the image of Loki's new persona? A pair of glasses that rested gently on his nose. They were obviously fake glasses, as his vision lacked for nothing, but Loki had always liked to put on good act. Play a role to perfection, so to speak. Which was exactly why he hadn't gone for any of the colors that he normally favored. No dark greens nor black, just brown and beige. To be fair, it suited his current brown hair and less pale skin quite well.

Currently he found himself seated in one of those human coffee shops that served up a decent breakfast. A single cup of steaming hot coffee sat in front of him, as well as a plate containing two buttery croissants. It seemed to be the most favored thing to order at this location, thus Loki had ordered the same thing everyone favored so as not to stand out. He found the croissants enjoyable at least. The delicate nature of the food item was appealing to him. The coffee however was... bitter and nasty over all.

Still he swallowed the black liquid down, mimicking the Midgardians around him and not allowing the disdain to show on his face. It seemed to be a very common drink here on Midgard. That everyone would sit around and drink this nastiness in the morning baffled him to no end.

Regardless, it was not chance that brought Loki to this little shop, where he was seated facing the windows that showed the road outside. His eyes were lingering on the cars passing by, watching them with the patience of a hunter. He was waiting. Waiting because of something that had caught his interest. A specific truck would come from the former battleground and then go off somewhere else before then coming back again and again.

It was not a S.H.I.E.L.D. truck however, which was what interested him. The words on the side of the truck read instead as '_Toomes salvage company'._

Loki couldn't help but smirk to himself the first time he had noticed the truck. The salvaging truck had interested him so he had carefully followed the path it had taken, getting closer and closer to figuring out its' ultimate destination. Did it go to and fro from the battlefield itself or did it instead go to the surrounding buildings that lay in ruins collecting mundane civilian items? Did the Humans realize what they might pick up like ravens haunting a bloody field? Did they _know_ that they could find Chitauri armor, weapons, communication devices and even advanced energy sources? And if that was indeed what this truck was doing?

Oh, but how very kind of the humans to pick up such treasures for him.

_And there it is, right on time, _Loki thought to himself as the truck in question drove past the little shop. When it took a turn down a blocked off road he had to fight back a smile. It was indeed heading for the battlefield, just as he had thought. Now that he had confirmed where they were going, where were they coming from? The truck had come from the south… but how _far_ south? All the way to the harbor perhaps?

Perhaps.

Loki's eyes drifted back to where the truck had vanished as he lifted the coffee cup and took another sip, letting the bitter taste linger in his mouth and on his tongue. He hid a wince and shook his head slightly as he glared down at the cup as if its' contents. Honestly, what did the Humans see in this beverage? He polished off the last croissant as he stood, but didn't bother to finish off the contents of the cup. He left change on the counter as a tip, a majority of others were doing the same, and then walked out with hands in his coat pockets.

The next day found Loki back at the spot where he'd first seen the vehicle. He followed the truck on its' return trip and lost it when he was close to the harbor. He chuckled to himself. This close to the harbor and he knew he'd been right yet again. Really, Humans were so predictable. It may have taken a couple of hours of searching, but finally he found what he was searching for... a big warehouse with the name_ Toomes salvaging service _written on the wall in big fat letters like they were _inviting_ Loki inside.

Oh how very, very kind of them. Should he expect a red carpet next?

Loki looked up at the sky, not towards anything in particular, it would just seem like he was enjoying the clear sunny day.

"Not hurting any humans," he said to the air, pointedly talking to Heimdall, and then turned back to look at the warehouse before walking around it looking for a way inside.

Gaining entrance to the building proved to be _way _too easy for him, though that was probably because the items within were considered to be nothing more than just scrap and bits of trash. All he had to do was pick one of the many open windows and slip inside and... well then. It did indeed look like a trash heap inside. Everything that the Human's had picked up was just... just laying around in big piles or casually thrown across the warehouse to lay seemingly abandoned.

To Loki though? This was a treasure trove.

Loki smirked and pushed down the urge to laugh. Yes, his magic had been sealed, however his magical knowledge had not been. Perhaps here, in these piles of seeming useless scrap, there would be something useful to him. Oh, these foolish Humans didn't even know what they had available to them! The things they could build!

But Loki knew and he could, and _would_, take whatever he found from them without them ever knowing! Loki's smirk widened.

This was far too easy.

* * *

_This chapter has been edited by Arei-The Peridot Dragon_


	5. Robert

_AN: Just a small clarification if it isn't made clear. Yup, this is the crew introduced in "Spiderman homecoming." Adrian is the future vulture. I just changed the timeline to fit the story._

_This chapter has been edited by Arei-The Peridot Dragon_

* * *

Loki seethed in annoyance. Two months. He had been here _two months_ and all he had found was junk!

The salvaging crew had continued bringing in random stuff from the battle site and after a time spent sorting through the debris, they would dispose of most of it in ways that were considered safe. Well, most of it was disposed of. There was a single crew member that had horded various bits and pieces for himself and had thus gained Loki's interest. A man called Phineas Mason. Said individual had what looked like a little miniature lab set up within the warehouse and had started to poke and prod at the Chitauri pieces, mixing them with Earth technology.

The results had been interesting, yes, but were still only mere toys compared to what Loki was used to.

Loki _had_ started to consider the possibility of making his presence known to the workers. So far he had made sure that none of them salvaging crew could see him. For now though, he forced himself to calm. Though he'd not had any luck himself in finding what he wanted to build what he needed, he decided that he would continue to observe the group. Perhaps they would be useful to him in other ways.

Right on time, as per the usual over the past two months, the doors opened to make way for the truck. Loki slipped into his usual hiding place, a spot above and behind at the junk where they wouldn't even bother to look and took a big bite out of a hot pocket that he had stolen from the fridge.

He had to eat now after all and it was oh _so_ kind of the Midgardians to keep the 'fridge' stocked for him.

Just as he swallowed his bite, a huge shout followed by a loud '_clang_' filled the air.

"_BASTARDS_!"

Loki fell completely silent. Why... _that_ was a different response than the usual call to get to work. The man's rage was almost palatable! His little group of Humans usually seemed rather happy whenever he had seen them. Apparently, from what he'd gleaned from prior conversations, they considered this job a big break for them. A 'windfall' or some such.

"Easy Adrian," Phineas spoke as he approached said individual. "Don't wanna break a toe kicking things now."

A bit of silence passed, relative silence really as he could hear the occasional muttering, and then another man by the name of Herman Schultz, a large man with dark skin, shouted. Familiar indignation rang through the building and Loki had to smile. This same incident had played out multiple times now. He leaned back to enjoy the little comedy skit that his presence, and subsequent food theft, had caused.

"Okay! Who the hell keeps taking my hot pockets?!" he exclaimed angrily and another 'slam' filled the air. "JACKSON!"

And Jackson groaned in response.

_Right on time_, Loki thought.

"Look, I told you once and I've told you a thousand times by now," by Loki's count he was only up to around a hundred-fifty actually, but he wouldn't hold an inability to count against the Midgardian, "I don't want to eat your stupid hot pockets! Those things are nasty! No one here wants to eat them except you!"

"Then explain how they keep on going missing!" Herman shouted back.

"Oh, that's easy; _**you **eat them_ you stupid idiot!" Jackson yelled back.

"THAT'S THE DAMN ISSUE! I _DON'T_ EAT THEM!" Herman shouted back and Loki chuckled, highly amused by the verbal conflict. He finished off the hot pocket in his hand without feeling even an ounce of guilt and then moved a little closer so he could get watch the group.

"Shut up, both of you," Adrian grumbled as he fell back against the couch, sinking into the old furniture with a growl.

He was clearly fuming as he reached for the remote to turn on the television. A news reporter popped up on the screen and it suddenly became clear as to _why_ the man was so upset. The salvaging crew, _Adrian's_ salvaging crew, had been laid off. The reporter quite happily continued on with the report, saying that Stark industry had taken over the clean up process. Some kind of joint effort program with the government to clean the area up faster and make the area habitable again. Adrian let out a snarl and stood just as suddenly as he'd sat down and started to pace around the area like a caged lion.

"Tch. And now _they_ get paid for cleaning up the very mess that they created," Randy commented from where he was sitting on a old, worn down arm chair.

"It's all rigged," Herman commented, still looking annoyed over his missing food… or being laid off. Probably a mix of both at this point in truth.

Then Jackson quieted them down with a simple question.

"Wait. Wait. What did they just say? About all that stuff that we still have?" he asked, his voice concerned. "Did they just say that we'd need to turn it in?"

"Too bad," Phineas muttered from his work table where he was playing with some of the Chitauri metal. He was currently applying electricity to the pieces, which in turn make them float. "We could make some pretty neat stuff with this given enough time."

That made Adrian halt and Loki leaned out a little to the side to peer closely at Adrian's face. Oh? How interesting. Loki knew that kind of expression. That look of defiance. He grinned. Adrian was scheming. The man opened his mouth and said the golden words that Loki wanted to hear.

"You know what…? Let's keep it," Adrian stated firmly, making everyone around him fall quiet and turn to him in surprise. "The world is changing and it's time that we change to."

And everyone was stunned by that little speech, while Adrian stood there smiling. Clearly the man was looking forward to getting one over Stark and the world's government. Loki couldn't help but smile gleefully at the sight.

_Oh, Adrian Toomes,_ he thought to himself. _You refuse to succumb to their games and be their pawn, you are going to rebel. You dear sir, are my kind of guy! I'd love to help nudge you along._

And it was with that last thought in mind that Loki slid smoothly out from his hiding spot into an area where he would easily be seen. He didn't stand however, opting instead to sit there upon his new perch with his legs crossed. He grinned to himself, as they still hadn't noticed him even with his movements being so obvious, and clapped his hands together lightly to catch their attention.

"Well said!" Loki called out jovially.

All at once, everyone jumped and turned to him. The various expressions that painted their faces at finding him sitting on top of a large pile of debris were amusing indeed to the consummate trickster.

"Wha.. WHAT?!" Jackson shouted, surprisingly the first person to find his voice. "WHO ARE YOU! HOW DID YOU GET IN HERE?!"

Several of the men grabbed for their guns and then aimed the weapons at Loki. Loki didn't move an inch however as he was not intimidated in the slightest. In fact, he just sat there and chuckled in amusement at their antics. In response to his cavalier attitude, Adrian held up a hand toward the others. That simply gesture was enough to make them lower their weapons. He stepped closer to Loki, looking him over with a frown.

"So _you're_ the one who has been in here," he commented with a nod to himself. "I thought I'd noticed things out of place. There's been signs that someone has been messing around with our stuff for a few weeks now."

Loki chuckled at that, it had been a few months but he wasn't going to correct the Human. He pulled the now empty hot pocket wrapper out of his pocket and held it up teasingly before throwing it at Herman's face. At first, Herman just looked confused as the trash hit his face, but he glanced down at the wrapper and then slowly frowned at it. Surprise and anger flashed over his face as he looked up.

"YOU! You're the one!" he exclaimed and then turned to look at his co-worker. "See! I _told_ you! Someone _was_ stealing them!"

"And like I told you; it wasn't _me_!" Jackson shouted back in annoyance. "He-"

"Quiet!" Adrian demanded in a firm tone and like clockwork, everyone listened to him and fell silent. He waited a moment to make sure they weren't going to start bickering again before turning his focus back to Loki. "You successfully kept yourself hidden up until now, so why have you shown yourself? And don't lie. If you had been a cop I know damn well that you would have just scurried off and reported us to someone."

"Let us just say… that I am someone who does not like 'the authorities' either," he responded with a smirk. "In fact, I am here to offer you a deal. We can work together quite well you know. I will lend you my services and you shall lend me yours. Fair trade?"

Adrian frowned in thought even as he crossed his arms.

"And what is it exactly that you would be able to offer us?" he asked.

"Well, I can tell you that your friend Phineas over there is on the right track," Loki commented with a wave of his hand towards the individual in question. "But his progress is slow, isn't it? It's simply because he has no idea what he is dealing with. I could tell him though. What materials the objects are made of, what they are used for and even _how_ the Chitauri used them. It would put him ahead of the curve by a significant amount compared to anyone else attempting the same thing."

Phineas pushed his magnifying-glasses up on his head so he could eye Loki clearly, if warily.

"How would you even _know_ those things?" he eventually asked.

Loki smirked again and stood up with a soft sigh. He jumped down to a patch of smooth flooring and wandered closer to the group. He stopped once he was in front of Adrian and offered up his most charming, and slightly condescending, smile.

"In only a few years your world has changed. You've just admitted it yourself. Your 'Earth' has recently been visited by people from other worlds. There's one problem with that assumption. A problem that can be clarified by a single word; '_recently_'. You see, the only thing that has actually changed is that people _know_ about this incident. They are _aware_ of what happened. No way to avoid it really," Loki lifted a hand and waved it towards the TV. "Tell me though, how many times do you _think_ your world has been visited by these 'out-worlders' now? How many people have you passed on the street that weren't actually _from_ 'Earth'. Perhaps no one has visited before now... and yet..."

He trailed off, letting his words linger in the air and allowing the Midgardians, the Humans, to come to their own conclusions. Adrian frowned as he crossed his arms.

"So am I to understand _you_ are from a different world or something?" he asked carefully.

At that Loki laughed aloud. How clever!

"Oh, you don't _have_ to assume _that_. I have merely had the good fortune to have access to a... certain degree knowledge before most of the world," he commented with a seemingly innocent smile as he used a twisted version of the truth to distract the male before him. "You can, of course, assume whatever you'd like."

Adrian looked down for a long moment before he looked up again, meeting Loki's green eyes.

"Three days," he started in a firm tone. "You can work with Phineas for three days. Build me something. Anything that you can come up with. I'll look over the results myself. I'll listen to what Phineas tells me, how useful you were to him and his creation process and the like. If I find that your work and aid was satisfactory, then you've got yourself a deal."

Loki grinned then turned to Phineas with another clap of his hands.

"Well, looks like we are partners now," he said with another innocent-seeming grin.

Phineas frowned at him in response, blinking rapidly. The other male didn't seem quite as sold on the idea as Adrian had. Then again, as Adrian shot Phineas and the others a _Look,_ Loki realized that no one in the warehouse, other than Loki himself, would dare to question Adrian. Loki had to hand it to the man honestly, he had a special air around him. A special authority so to speak. Even though he was merely the leader of a salvaging company, he still carried himself with such _pride_. It was rather admirable in some ways. It was too bad that a man with such potential wouldn't even _try_ to reach higher but had limited himself to this sort of scheming. He clearly had the potential for more, but wouldn't do anything to achieve it.

Adrian turned back to Loki, a demanding yet amused look in his eyes.

"So what may I call you? Mr. Hot-Pocket Thief?" he asked with a faint hint of humor in his tone.

Loki shrugged at the question.

"I don't really _have_ a name these days," he said bluntly. "Tell you what, as a sign on our new working relationship you get to decide what you want to call me."

"I vote for 'scumbag'!" Herman shouted as he stalked back toward his work area.

Adrian rolled his eyes and let out a huff of breath.

"Well, if you don't want to tell us your name, we'll just call you 'Robert'," he stated firmly.

"Oh?" Loki asked with a blink. He spoke the name aloud, as if tasting it. "Robert. _Robert_. Hn. Works for me."

"Robert eh?" Herman asked from where he'd sat down.

"Yeah. When I was in high school, there was this guy called Robert," Adrian explained with a smirk as he turned to look at Herman. "Biggest piece of shit I ever had the misfortune to meet! He was always stealing other peoples stuff and putting the blame on someone, anyone, else. Made puppy dog eyes at the teachers and got away Scott-free every damn time. I really hated his ass."

Loki chuckled softly at that.

"Oh, you are something else Adrian Toomes. Quite an amusing choice of a name," he admitted aloud. He HAD been stealing food after all and letting them blame each other. "I think this relationship might just work out just fine."

* * *

Three days later and the team stood around them in stunned silence at what Loki and Phineas had created; a small apparatus which could close and heal almost any wound within seconds. Loki had demonstrated this by cutting his own arm and allowing Phineas to use the machine to heal him.

Adrian's eyes were locked on the closed wound, inspecting it closely. Loki wasn't concerned with the inspection, he knew that not even the hint of a scar would be visible. Adrian then looked at Phineas with a visible question in his eyes.

"I would never have been able to make this without Roberts help," Phineas said in answer to that silent question. "This could make us… millions. Maybe even _billions _if we can patent it."

"I thought you guys were going to make a weapon?" Jackson questioned with a blink.

Loki sighed softly at that.

"There is a bit of a snag in that department," he informed in a rare burst of blunt honesty. "I cannot help you create weapons. Mind you, I wont stop you from making them yourselves, I don't care what you do on your own, but I cannot help you build them or tell you how to make them."

Adrian's eyes lingered on Loki and his lips curled downwards into a small frown.

"You keep saying the weirdest things," he said moments later. His eyes returned to the 'healing cube' as they were calling it. "But your services could be invaluable to us regardless."

He then offered Loki a hand.

"Welcome to the crew, Robert."

And Loki grinned as he accepted the hand and shook it.

"Oh, I'm sure we'll both get the best out of this arrangement regardless," he said knowingly.


	6. Fine Line

"You serious?" Jackson asked in a dumbfounded tone. "You've _never _had a cellphone before?!"

Loki frowned in annoyance as he looked over the piece of technology in his hands. He refused to dignify the Human's question with an answer. Even if it _was_ the truth...

"HAHAHAHA! A cellphone!" Jackson broke down and burst into a fit of laughter. "Dude, _everyone _has a bloody cellphone these days! This is great!"

And with that, Loki looked up and pinned the male with death glare. If the situation had allowed for it, the Midgardian fool would have found himself no longer amongst the Land of the Living.

Randy, the last member of the crew and someone who hadn't been in the warehouse on the day Loki that had revealed himself, smirked in open amusement and decided to add in his own bit of commentary.

"Don't be too hard on Martian Boy Jackson," he said with a chuckle. "He can't help it."

Loki scowled fiercely. Oh, but he was not happy with the nickname that Randy had saddled him with. The fact that it had somehow it just _stuck_ for the crew was even more galling… 'Martian boy'. As if he were some kind of _pleb_. Ugh.

Now... Loki _had_ deliberately left his own origin vague for a good reason, but his lack of knowledge in certain areas regarding the day to day life of those Midgardians around him seemed to have given away the fact that he wasn't really from the area and that 'the area' was Earth itself. As such, the crew had started to joke about him being from space just like the Chitauri, who's tech they were currently messing around with, and so the nickname _"Martian boy" _had been bandied about to the point where it had become his official 'nickname'.

Of course, their observation wasn't entirely off track. He _was_ from another world. Still, to be compared to that brain-dead species of reptilians that actually lived on Mars was annoying. He turned his glare on Jackson.

"Show me how to use it," he demanded, holding the phone in the male's direction.

Jackson just raised an eyebrow at him, not taking the phone.

"It would benefit you as well if I knew how to operate a 'cellphone' properly. Show me," Loki asked through gritted teeth. Though, it was more that he had harshly demanded the Midgardian comply more than really 'asked'.

Jackson shrugged, doing nothing to hide the amused twitching of his lips.

"All right then, fine. There's no need to be so pushy. Just ask nicely yeah? It's not like it's a secret anyway," he said even as he took the cellphone and started to show Loki the ropes.

Loki didn't say all that much the entire time that Jackson was showing him how to use the little device. His eyes remained festooned on the phone itself and how Jackson could operate it so smoothly. Whenever he _did_ actually say something, it was always formulated as a question. He took care to absorb any knowledge that Jackson gave him.

It was just _technology_… and technology at its' root was logical, very similar to magic in truth. You just needed to know base, key factors of how to do something and then you could build upon it. Earth, from what he could tell, was now practically run by this technology now. He needed to get a firm grasp on how to use it. Loki's tentative plans required such effort. Fortunately the humans that he had allied himself with were more than willing to just _give_ him all of this information without even a second thought.

After a mere thirty minutes Loki understood how to make a call, send a text message and email and even how to access the internet…

Loki frowned as he examined that last item. It seemed to be some sort of 'digital highway' designed to transmit text and information. Also, it seemed like every device like the one in his hands were connected to the same 'highway', which seemed like a very foolish thing to do to him. Did that mean he could use any device connected to this internet to access any other device also connected to it? If so, then all he had to figure out was how to manage that kind of connection.

Once again Loki could liken the technology to magic. At its' core, it was all numbers and formulas! It was based on reason, not random in the slightest. It could even be considered a different kind of magic. Or was what he called 'magic' a different sort of 'technology'?

It was something to ponder in his idle time, but was not really that important in the grand scheme of things. What _was_ important was that it was entirely possible to categorize everything he was learning. Loki fixed his glasses as he looked at the device in his hand, pushing them back up his nose from where they had slipped. They had given him access to practically all of the information that Midgard, Earth, had to offer. How… how stupid were these people? It was right there! For anyone to find! Did they know nothing about that old saying, 'Knowledge is Power'? Did they have no limits on what was 'available to the public'? He decided to test it...

Want an extensive background knowledge of Tony Stark? DONE! Orphan boy, Mother and Father killed in a car crash when he was sixteen. His company had produced and sold weapons to _all_ of the the worlds largest governments, but had later stopped after he was kidnapped and consequently saved himself from his kidnappers in Afghanistan. After that, it looked like his guilt had lead him to be involved in many projects aimed at saving this rotten planet from itself... Loki snorted softly.

_Good luck with that Stark. You'll need it,_ he thought to himself.

What about information on Bruce Banner? DONE! Once a Doctor who specialized in gamma radiation, he had been working to re-create the super soldier serum ones used on one Steve Rogers when an accident exposed him to the gamma blast. This accident had created the infamous HULK. Afterwards the HULK destroyed a nearby town, the media naming Banner a criminal for his actions which had sent him on the run for the next 14 years, until he was finally approached by SHIELD to become a part of the Avengers project. He'd earned his official pardon by fighting for Earth at the battle of New York.

What is 'Gamma radiation'? DONE! It came complete with all the technical formulas and everything Loki might even think to ask about the subject. Heck, the even seemed very familiar to Loki. It seemed to be the same kind of energy many magic spells would release. There were even 'reference links' to take him to 'sites' which described benefits of use, health concerns, etcetera, etcetera.

Loki was well and truly astounded how easy all of this was. How… honestly, just how stupid were these Humans? Anyone could just search and figure any of this out. It was like a candy store where everything was free, inviting him to know everything about everyone and... ah, wait.

There were though _some_ gaps in information when he'd tried to search for information on S.H.I.E.L.D.. When he'd asked, Jackson had explained 'public domain' to him. Any information about S.H.I.E.L.D. seemed to be extremely superficial since such information was not 'publicly available'. Most of what he _could_ find about the Agency came from what Jackson called 'conspiracy websites'… Same went for that bow-wielding guy and red-haired woman. Even the eye-patch man... Fury? Right? Yeah, Fury... there was no word of him_ at all_. It was as if he didn't even exist.

Seemed like he would have to dig deeper to get any _real_ information on any of that… Loki went back and searched for more information on Rogers.

As Loki's eyes passed over the text screen, talking about the Super-Soldier formula that had been used on Steve Rogers and how so many had tried to replicate it but ultimately failed, he reached for his plastic cup of coffee. He tipped the cup back, happily drinking down the substance.

And to think... before he hadn't liked this stuff. No, coffee was amazing! It had a wonderful taste, it gave him a relaxed feeling just sitting with it and taking in the scent and to top it all off, it kept his mind awake and aware for longer periods of time. There was not a lot that he would bother take with him once he no longer had to stay on the planet, but _coffee_… The Midgardians had done one thing right by working out this one.

"MARTIAN BOY!" Adrian shouted.

Loki turned to look at the other male with a surprised blink and a questioning tilt of his head.

"You wanted to come with to meet Rodrigo, didn't you?" Adrian asked. "We're going now!"

Loki smirked as he stood up. He did indeed. Rodrigo was one of their first clients. Also, from what Loki had found out, the man had a side business in forging identities for people who had money.

It was time to make Robert real. At least on paper.

Robert Johnson was going to be his official name, but he needed to be present for a photo to be taken. And so Loki walked over to the waiting crew and willingly crawled up into the back of the truck loaded with the goods they were going to sell. Once seated inside, he sighed deeply as he leaned back. Once he had an identity, he would be able to create that bank account he needed to cement his presence in this society. From there, things should start to go much smoother.

Pfft. Odin thought that merely stripping him of magic and strength would stop him? He was placed on Midgard, Earth, a planet filled with ignorant humans, and Odin thought that would deter him? No, the planet was Loki's own private playground now.

_You watching all this Heimdal?_ he thought to himself as he looked at the ceiling of the truck. _Oh what's this? You can't come and lecture me, cause I didn't hurt a single human? Oh me, oh my, what a shame that is._


	7. Not Lokis problem

Robert Johnson. Twenty-six years old. Born in North England, Manchester. Recently majored as a Mythologist and then moved to America for the opportunities.

Loki smirked as he looked over the little plastic card in his hand. Such a simple thing that would assure anyone that his identity was real. Complete with a date of birth, Nationality and background…

All of it fake of course.

Loki could have easily passed himself off as someone older, being a certain age often automatically earned you respect in many cultures, but he had decided against it. Even though his magic had been sealed away and his strength reduced, he would still age as he had before. In the eyes of the Humans around him, he would not appear to change much at all. The younger he claimed he was now, the longer he could keep up the facade of 'Robert' before he finally had to ditch said identity and move somewhere else. Become _someone_ else. He would probably be able to keep the illusion up until Robert was supposed to be in his late forties or fifties. Any longer though and people were likely start to ask questions.

Things would be easier now though. With a fake identity in hand, Loki could now open a bank account in his name.

Loki looked around and then smirked to himself as his eyes landed on the groups 'leader'. Adrian Toomes had made no secret of the fact that he didn't like Loki, but neither could the man deny that Loki's knowledge had garnered a hefty profit, and so it was only fair he be paid his fair share. It was behavior like that that made Adrian a good leader. He always rewarded his workers for a job well done and was fair in his treatment of said employees. Loki stated to learn by observing him, especially taking note of how anyone in his small crew would do anything he asked. Here was a man who inspired his men to stay true to the last. There was not a single person here whom would rat on Adrian Toomes. They were simply that loyal.

The Humans of Midgard had also developed ways in which to continuing making money by 'investing in stocks'. All of it was done by computer, and again, all quite logical. Loki had an easy time of it, writing fake posts and infiltrating various websites to manipulate the investments to suite himself. His efforts netted a good sum of money in a short time and well, financially speaking, he was now set for a good while. There was no longer a need to pick-pocket or mug Midgardians.

Overall, the Adrian Toomes crew had served Loki well in giving him room to set up, granting him access to a variety of underground smugglers and forgers on Midgard. On top of that, they had been all too willing to teach Loki anything that he might wish to know about life on Midgard. It had been an amusing time to say the least. Loki had even joined them on some of their weapon exchange runs, but only because he found it amusing to observe the groups interactions with other groups. He avoided joining in on any of the arguments or fights that occasionally occurred. This went on for a while before Jackson had been dumb enough to hint that Loki likely didn't know how to fight and that's why he avoided helping the group. When confronted by the boisterous fool, Loki had dealt with his impertinence swiftly. Said male had ended up on the floor in less than a second. Jackson had no time to register what had happened and Loki was satisfied by the knowledge that he wouldn't be in trouble as he had dealt with the impertinent Human in a way that had caused no lasting harm.

It was the time that Loki spent with Phineas, exploring the possibilities of merging the Chitauri technology with technology from Earth, that rapidly became his favorite pastime. It reminded Loki the times during his youth. Time spent experimenting with magic, trying to calculate and merge different spells just to see what the outcome would be.

Their latest creation lay in front of Loki; a tiny blue cube which Loki carefully picked up. He tapped it a moment later and he was suddenly inside of a force-field that was shaped like a bubble. Loki smirked as he tapped the cube again and the force-field vanished. Phineas shared his smirk as their gazes met.

"Bet that one is going to end up being in high demand," he said smugly.

"Naturally," Loki chuckled as he tossed the cube up and down a few times in his hand.

"Man, you know... you sure are a weird one," Phineas commented as he eyed the other male.

"So you keep saying," Loki replied with a roll of his eyes.

"Well, yeah but... I mean... you _are_ working with weapon manufactures and smugglers and yet you still refuse to create any kind of weapon to help us out. You keep sticking to defensive tools," Phineas stated with a frown. "I just don't get it, is it some sort of pacifist honor code?"

At that Loki laughed.

"Hardly," he stated firmly.

"Yeah, you're right. You're not the type," Phineas nodded thoughtfully before turning back to his table.

"Oh?" Loki asked as he sat down at the corner said table.

"You don't seem like the type of person who would actually _care_ if people got hurt," Phineas said as he looked over his tools. "You seem more like the kind of person who believes that it is each person for themselves so to speak. And if people do get hurt, then it is a result of their own actions and choices, therefore it is their responsibility alone. Sound about right?"

Loki chuckled softly. After living with/around this group, he was beginning to see what Thor found so endearing about humans; they could be rather amusing.

"Close enough. Perhaps it is best to say that _if_ you do enter the fray rather than flee from it, you have indeed agreed to be part of the battle," Loki said to clarify. "At which point it is then your responsibility to be strong enough, smart enough to make it through regardless of if you win or lose the battle. If you are neither, then you should have been wise enough not have entered the battlefield in the first place. Once you join in battle the dice is cast, so to speak. You can no longer blame only the enemies you have encountered for the outcome simply because _you _were under-prepared."

"Fair enough," Phineas nodded as he picked up one of his projects and started to work on it.

Loki glanced at the man who was working so lovingly on his project. The older male could not help but find a small piece of admiration growing inside of him for the Human. These people, Adrian's rag-tag little group, knew that what they were doing was against their laws. They _knew_ that there was a major risk associated with their chosen path. But they met that risk without apology or excuse. Nor did they ask for any kind of forgiveness for their crimes. They knew without a doubt that they could be discovered or outed any day now, but they were not going to cry about it. No, they just wanted to show the 'big guys' out there in the world that not everyone could be controlled like meek sheep.

Loki... had to respect that kind of determination. He shook his head and reached for his coffee, the fifth cup that day, and took a sip.

"Well, Robert, or what-ever your name actually is, it sure has been something working with you," Phineas said as he lifted up an object, squinting his eyes at it as he inspected it for damage or flaws.

"What's this now?" Loki asked with a huff. "Speak plainly."

Phineas smirked at him.

"It may not be today, it may not be for another year or two," the Human started, "or, hell for all I know it could be tomorrow. Regardless, one day you are going to vanish just as mysteriously and quickly as you appeared in our lives. So... better just say it now. It's been fun having you here."

"Oh. Yes, it has been rather fun hasn't it?" he admitted with a startled blink. "You... don't want to know of my true origins?"

He'd asked that last feeling more than a little bit curious. Honestly, he was surprised that Phineas hadn't pressed him harder on the subject in the past. He wasn't too surprised by the fact that Adrian hadn't asked about his origins, once again a combination of his leader qualities and a 'don't ask, don't tell' kind of policy. The male didn't poke his nose where it wasn't needed, keeping everything on a strict and professional level unless absolutely necessary. Jackson, Herman and Randy weren't the brightest bulbs in the box and tended to make fun of Loki, asking him a lot of stupid questions and otherwise making nuisances of themselves but never asking outright where he was from.

Phineas, their inventor, was the only one with the intelligence to even begin to build any of this stuff on his own. If anyone could think to ask the correct questions of Loki, then it was probably him. And yet he'd never asked.

"Oh, I am dying to know!" Phineas stated finally, chuckling as he turned to look at Loki. "However, we _are_ running a criminal business now. It is not our job to ask questions at this point. Our job just is to deliver the goods and turn a profit."

Loki stared at Phineas as the man turned back to his pet project. Loki frowned a moment later as something indiscernible filled him and-_no_! He did not respect nor _like_ this Human! Regardless of how clever he was. It was only that... that Loki had spent too much time with this one group. Humans were stupid. Foolish. They were below him! Grumbling to himself Loki repeated that in his mind over and over again, fighting the feelings of how... how _comfortable_ this level of camaraderie felt to him.

These people were just his _tools. _His playthings! There were _zero _fuzzy feelings towards _any _of them.

A sound blared from the television, catching his attention. Loki perked up when he saw that Randy watching the news. More than that, it was the image of Thor being flung from what looked like a _portal_ followed by… wait a moment. Was that a _dark elf_? Loki blinked rapidly as he stared at the screen, before a smile spread across his face. By the Norns! He ran over to the television and smacked at the man's arm.

"Turn up the sound!" he ordered excitedly.

Randy shrugged at the odd request but did as he was told. The voice of the reported sounded nice and clear.

_"The reason for the portals and fields where gravity has somehow changed are unknown,"_ The female voice informed them. "_Once again Earth has become a battle ground for aliens."_

Just then a stream of bad quality footage passed over the screen. It was a video of Thor being smacked down into the ground by, yes that was indeed a dark elf, so hard that pieces of concrete flew in all directions leaving a crater underneath Thor. Loki laughed loudly at the sight. Oh, by the All-Father! He _had_ to get a copy of that footage. He snorted softly and tried to reign in his laughter.

_So… Thor has gotten into a tiff with the dark elves for some unknown reason?_ Loki grinned as he crossed his arms. Best thing of all? This sort of thing wasn't Loki's problem anymore! He didn't have to help his 'dear' Brother. _Want to drag me into your troubles **now,** Thor? How is it going for you now that you have no one at your back? Hm... what was it these Midgardians usually do again for occasions like this? Oh yes! Popcorn! Is there popcorn anywhere around here?_

"So…" Randy glanced up at Loki, catching his attention by gesturing toward the TV which was currently showing images of the dark elves. "Someone you know?"

"I am… familiar with their existence," Loki informed, his tone amused. His eyes were glued on the television screen.

"Cousins of yours or something martian boy?" Jackson asked with a bark of laughter.

Loki rolled his eyes.

"Do we somehow look _alike_ to your feeble brain?" he bit out with a frown.

"Hey now! I don't know what kind of voodoo, sci-fi, shape-shifting shit these guys might be capable of," Jackson snapped back.

Loki couldn't help but smirk at the man's response. If he had his true powers available to him, then he would have been a shape-shift himself. Jackson wasn't as far off track as he thought he was with that come-back. Norns, it would be humorous if the group one day got a gander of Loki's _true_ self. Blue skin, red eyes, ridges over his body, not to mention a body temperature that would seriously harm most humans if they tried to touch him. At the very least, it would give them a decent scare. Then Loki turned his attention back to the screen and saw another dark elf. This one seemed to be their leader and... odd. There was something wrapped around him. A red energy that… Wait.

Loki blinked in surprise. That energy seemed... Familiar? Loki frowned and leaned forward toward the screen to get a better look. Sadly the image was gone too quickly, replaced by the image of a studio with a man and a woman sitting down in their comfortable chairs discussing the events. Loki's eyebrows drew together and he stood up again with crossed arms.

Jackson blinked at him in confusion.

"What is it?" he asked.

Loki was quiet for a while as he glanced down at the ground. He looked up again a few moments later.

"Not my problem, that's what it is," he stated firmly as he abruptly turned around and walked away. He just wanted to forget about it.

But… his thoughts kept drifting back, kept lingering on what he'd seen. That energy… it looked like the same kind of energy that could be released whenever someone used the _Tesseract._ Not only that, but also the kind of energy that had been released when the Mind Staff had been used. Could there possible be a connection between those objects and the aura around that dark elf? No… that was impossible. What could those three things possibly have in common with each other?

Still, the thoughts plagued Loki's mind. Even hours later it still nagged at his thoughts. Loki hissed in annoyance, but he already knew at this point that he... couldn't just let it go.

He _had_ to figure this out.


	8. Avengers Tower

Tony Stark could only sigh. Sigh very long and very deeply even as he poured a very healthy sized glass of brandy. Moments later he turned around and held the glass out to the blond God of Thunder currently lounging on his couch.

"Thank you, friend Stark," Thor said with a grin as he accepted the glass.

"Please just tell me there will be no more alien attacks okay?" Tony asked in a plaintive tone. "There's nothing you neglected to tell us? Right?"

The billionaire sounded like he was on the verge of tears and honestly, Thor couldn't really blame him. Thor was quiet for several moments as he looked at the contents of the glass. He then shook his head.

"No, it is as I informed you," Thor said carefully. "Malakith and his people have been dealt with."

Tony was silent as he looked Thor over and then frowned. He pointed an accusing finger at Thor.

"You hesitated! I asked you if you had neglected to tell us something, _anything_, and you hesitated!" he exclaimed as he threw up his hands.

"Friend Stark-" Thor tried to interject only to be cut off.

"Look! Listen. Just... listen alright? If there is some kind of inter-galactic war or whatever going on right now then just... just..." Tony sighed and practically deflated as he fell down onto the couch across from Thor. He groaned deeply in frustration as he rubbed at his face.

"You… do not look well my friend," Thor had to admit.

"He has had his own issues to deal with," the third and final person in the room piped up. One Bruce Banner.

"Please, don't remind me of it," Tony asked, a melancholic tone in his voice. True enough, the brilliant man looked beyond exhausted. The dark shadows under his eyes and haggard appearance spoke of recent hardships faced.

"Is it something that I can assist with?" Thor asked almost eagerly. These people had done so much for him. It was only right to return the favor in kind.

Bruce smirked and chuckled, more than a little bit amused by Thor's eagerness to help.

"It's over now Thor," Bruce said with a shake of his head, "you don't have to worry about it. The Mandarin has been dealt with."

"Ah… I see. I think," Thor frowned and leaned back in his seat, taking a sip of the drink Tony had handed to him. "How fare you then Doctor Banner? You at least seem to be doing well on this fine day."

Bruce smiled gently at the other man.

"Yeah… I… I spent such a long time being on the run," he admitted with a chuckle. His smile turned a touch embarrassed. Awkward. "This last year though. Heh. The thing is, it's hard to get used to _not _having to look over my shoulder every second of every day."

He looked down at his hands and clasped them together.

"It's funny ya know?" he started softly. "How you can get so used to having military and even _tanks_ following you that you... you get paranoid when they aren't actually there."

"He still never leaves the tower though," Tony complained with a roll of his eyes. Bruce looked up and frowned at him. Tony tossed his head back and exclaimed in a louder voice so _all_ could hear. "You never leave the tower, Bruce!"

"Yes I… I'm sorry, I should probably find a place for myself," Bruce apologized as he fixed his glasses. "I just… don't have a lot of money."

Tony smirked and waved his hand dismissively at the other man's worry over finances.

"I've already told you a _thousand_ times now, you can live here for as long as you want. Heck, live here forever if you want. How many people can say that they have a HULK living in their tower huh?" he asked with a laugh. "I'll tell you, that kind of publicity is something no money can buy. Furthermore Doc, you know I employ researchers and I'd hire you on in a hot second if you're concerned about being a freeloader. You're the one being stupid enough to refuse good money."

Bruce looked ashamed as he looked down and away from Tony's kind yet rambunctious smile.

Thor smiled and shook his head, however.

"Friend Banner is a strong and proud man," he proclaimed with all the assurance of a Prince. "A man who would rather stand on his own two legs! You, Bruce Banner, are a true warrior!"

"Oh no! I'm no-!" Banner began, head jerking up and hands waving as if to brush away Thor's praises. Thor continued to talk over him.

"Yes, you are indeed!" Thor boomed, confidence filling his voice. "For without you, we would not have won against the Chitauri and the God of Trickery! Be _proud_ of your accomplishments friend Banner! There is no shame here."

Bruce's entire face had turned beet red. His hands fell to his lap and folded together in front of him. His eyes followed them down and stayed locked there. If he could have, he would have sunken into the couch and disappeared from sight.

"Aww, we embarrassed him," Tony smirked jokingly at his friend.

Bruce cleared his throat and desperately tried to think of something else they could change the subject to.

"Speaking of Loki, and I hope I'm not overstepping my boundaries here, but… what did you guys do with him?" he asked as he glanced up at Thor. "You said he would face justice right? So... what does that entail for your people?"

Thor had been about to continue to speak of his friend's accomplishments and halted with a wince.

"Loki has… he has been stripped of his magic, as well as the strength that Asgardians have," he answered slowly. "And he's been... imprisoned for an indefinite period of time."

He was being very, _very_ careful in how he was choosing his words. Technically, he wasn't lying. That Loki's prison was the Earth itself probably wouldn't sit too well with either of the people in the room and he knew it.

"Hah! Serves him right!" Tony smirked and then winced, holding up a hand apologetically. "Ah, no offense Thor."

"No, none taken at all," Thor shook his head. "It is an appropriate punishment. He chose for himself actually."

He looked down, his heart filled with sadness. The truth was... he had no idea where Loki was or what he was doing. Odin had refused to tell him where he had placed Loki upon Earth and his mother wasn't telling him either. Heimdal had also refused to say anything. In fact, he was under strict orders to _not _inform Thor about what Loki was up to unless there was a specific need for interference. For all intents and purposes, Loki was on his own. Just as he had been.

Still, that had been a strange conversation to have. When Thor had asked if Loki had been adhering to the rules laid out to him, specifically that he was not allowed to harm any Humans, Heimdal had given him an odd look.

"_I… I don't believe he has," Heimdal had said._

_Thor had frowned at the other man. _

_"What do you mean you don't 'believe he has'?" he'd asked in confusion. "You have had your eyes upon him at all times, have you not?"_

"_Indeed, I have," Heimdal nodded in response. "Right now I can see that he is sleeping. However, when he is awake and amongst the populace he… I can say that your brother continues walking a delicate line and I… I am truly unsure if I should call it 'harming' the Humans or not."_

"_It is rather simple isn't it?" Thor asked as his frown deepened. "Has a Human been harmed due to Loki's actions on Earth? Yay or nay?"_

_The look on Heimdal's face, one of utter confusion and hopelessness was enough of an answer for Thor. Only Loki would be able to walk such a fine line and confuse even the All-seer regarding his deeds. __Once again Thor found himself desperately wishing that he knew what on earth Loki was doing, but sadly any and all answers were continually denied to him._

Thor had to shake his head to bring him back to the current situation in Stark tower. He was merely talking to two of his friends on Earth. His fellow comrades in battle. He owed it to them to inform them about the Malakith incident, what all the portals and changes to gravity had been about. But even he couldn't inform them of such a simple thing as Loki being on Earth.

"You okay there big guy?" Tony asked with a small frown. "Lost you for a second there."

"Aye. Things have just been..." Thor nodded and then stopped, letting out a heavy sigh of his own. "A bit of a mess."

"Well, I can sympathies with that one," Tony nodded understandingly.

"You'll get used to it," Bruce stated suddenly, making both of them turn to look him. "Oh… was I… not supposed to say that?"

"Doc… I realize you've been through more than probably the both of us combined," Tony stated. "However, if I could _not _get used to alien invasion and terrorists attacking my home and loved ones, then that would be great."

Thor couldn't help but smile in amusement as he shook his head. Tony really did have a way of saying things.

"Ah, yes. Of course," Bruce nodded and he huffed softly. "Sorry, that's not what I meant... I'm... just not very good at these kinds of things."

"I noticed," Tony smirked teasingly.

Thor shook his head and smiled reassuringly at the other man.

"Please do not worry my friends," he stated firmly and proudly. "If trouble arrives on Midgard, then I shall come and we will face it together!"

"If you could make sure that no trouble arrives on 'Midgard' as you call it, that would be fantastic," Tony stated as he once more held his head. "We kind of got issues enough to deal with on our own."

"I am afraid I can make no such promises," Thor apologized sincerely. "We may be called gods, but our powers are not absolute. The universe is a very vast thing indeed."

"Fine," Tony sighed and waved a hand.

"So, I guess you'll be headed back to Asgard now?" Bruce asked Thor.

Thor nodded at the other man, "Asgard too sustained heavy damages. I am needed back home."

"Right, I just thought I'd let you while you are here," Bruce stood up and walked over to one of Tony's computer boards. He tapped at it and pulled up a holographic screen like Tony usually used. "I took the liberty of analyzing the energy readings coming from your Malakith when he was on Earth. The energy he used to punch holes in reality itself and thus creating the portals it…? That was Gamma energy."

Thor looked at Bruce with a raised brow. His eyes showing that he was absolutely clueless.

"You… have no idea why that's relevant do you?" Bruce asked and Thor shook his head. "Right. Okay."

He called up a projection of the staff that Loki had wielded.

"The mind staff was also emitting Gamma radiation," he pointed at the two frequencies and how they overlapped. "And then there's the Tesseract which was used to create the Super-Soldier Serum and..."

He paused and swallowed roughly.

"Right... in the attempt to replicate that same serum it… well, the results created _me,"_ he said. "Or well, the Big Guy. We didn't have the Tesseract, however, which was the original Gamma source of the Super-Soldier Serum, so we tried to create our own source of Gamma… Which erhm, lead to an explosion and erh..."

Bruce halted again, then he shook his head to clear away the memories before he continued.

"The Tesseract and the mind staff that Loki wielded are the two single largest sources of constant Gamma I've managed to observe on this Earth," he finished. "Well, they _were_. The energy from Malakith was just as large of a source."

Tony frowned at that and leaned forward.

"It didn't create any new big Hulks though… Did it?" he asked looking up from the readings that Bruce had called up.

Thor halted spoke, "Malakith… did absorb a Stone that gave him incredible power before attacking."

"The power coming from these three sources seems much more refined than the blast I was hit by," Bruce said reassuringly as he tried to explain his findings. "_That_ blast... it was raw so to speak. _Untamed_ if you will. It was a very short burst of immensely concentrated energy. These objects, they seem to release a steady, consistent flow of refined Gamma radiation."

"Ah! I see!" Thor stated confidently. It was a lie though. He didn't understand any of it. This was honestly something that his brother would likely have understood.

Tony frowned again and tapped his fingers against his chin. He flicked his fingers a moment later, "That's cool and all… and good that we don't have to worry about any accidents like yours, but... what does it mean in the long run though?"

"I… have no idea," Bruce admitted after shooting the other man an exasperated look.

Tony smirked back at Bruce unrepentantly.

"Well, you keep working on that Doc," he clapped his hands together and stood up. "See what I mean? You've earned your keep already."

"Tony I..." Bruce started to say, only to have Tony once more flick his hand. Dismissively waving away any of Bruce's concerns.

"Here's how I see it!" Tony stated firmly. "There are these weird magic Gamma 'things' that keep finding their way to Earth! Now me? I want to know if there is a _connection_, and if there _is_, what do _we_ need to look out for? How do we deal with this stuff? To figure this out, I need a guy. A guy who knows all about Gamma radiation. In fact, I won't settle for anything less than the worlds _leading _Gamma radiation expert and... oh!"

He paused in front of Bruce and waved his hands expressively.

"Look at this," he said with a grin, "said expert is standing right in front of me. Isn't he?"

"Ah," Bruce realized what Tony was getting out and let out a bemused laugh.

"Also! _Also_! I get to tell people I am_ best friends_ with the _Hulk_, so... Will you just take the money and the job Bruce? Honestly. You'd think I was going to kick your puppy or something."

Bruce smiled and let out another chuckle.

"Okay, fine," he said, finally giving in to Tony's pestering. "You win Tony."

"Always do," Tony responded with a cocky wink. His expression turned serious and his tone encouraging. "Also, seriously? Go outside of the tower one of these days. Have some fun, pick up a girl or... or _something_. I don't know."

"I'll think I'll pass on that one," Bruce said with a shake of his head.

"Have it your way then," Tony snorted and shook his head.

Thor smiled, shook his head in amusement and downed his drink.

"It is good to see that you are doing well my friends," he stated. "Earth is in good hands! This is good!"

Tony groaned and threw up his hands.

"Why does Earth even _need _to be in good hands?" he asked and the other two could only shake their heads as Tony went on another rant.


	9. Next Step

Loki was sitting in front of a television, legs crossed, observing the well of information presented to him on the screen. Most of it was just nonsense disputes among Midgardian countries, but you never knew when beneficial information would present itself. The primary benefit that he'd found was that he did not have to find a way to observe the Avengers directly. These 'news studios' were doing all the work for him. All he had to do was to sit back and watch.

Loki could not deny that his time with the Toomes crew was nearing its' end. He had gotten what he needed from them in the form of his ID card, and he had no desire to grow too comfortable amongst the group. He had even managed to develop a few items that didn't require magic from the user to be activated.

The healing cube, a force-field cube, and lastly, a little stick able to knock anyone out by touch, aptly dubbed the 'sleeping stick'. It was a tiny thing actually and looked like an ordinary pen. All Loki needed to do was to press it against someone's forehead, and they would be out like a light. Not dead, as he wasn't allowed to hurt anyone, but sleeping.

Loki was throwing this very item up and down in the air while his eyes lingered on the screen.

Tony Stark had been front and center in the news for a while now. Ever since that terrorist group started attacking him, at least, and of course, there was news regarding his short disappearance during that time. He seemed to be back for good now and had officially declared that he would dedicate less time to being Iron Man, and focus his resources and energy on development. 'Creating new things to benefit the world'… how noble of him.

Steve Rogers was, well. The best way Loki could describe it was that said male had been presented as and even acted as a kind of a circus clown in his early career. He was presented as a 'real-life hero' to the masses and appearing in several 'talk shows' and PTA's. Always talking about how you needed to 'do good' to 'be good' and… urgh, it made Loki cringe all over his body. Did the man not have any shame? Or self-respect for that matter?

Sadly, judging from those old commercials they were showing on the news, it didn't look like it.

Bruce Banner seemed to be keeping to himself for the most part. There had been a few short documentaries about him and his work on the TV, but no real news about the man's current activities. From what Loki could tell, he was now living in Stark Tower with Tony and rarely, if ever, left the building.

The employees of S.H.I.E.L.D., however, remained a mystery. People had, of course, asked plenty of questions. Who were these two new heroes at the battle of New York? Where did they come from? Where were they now? But no response was forthcoming. News regarding the male archer and female 'femme fatale' had been kept a secret, much like most of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s actions. All Loki could tell was that they were special agents working for S.H.I.E.L.D., which of course, was a government program and needed to remain 'hush-hush' for the safety of those involved.

A new issue had presented itself to Loki; What should his next step be? He couldn't very well insert himself into the American government post haste now, could he? Well, he could if he decided to go in 'guns blazing' so to speak, but he was not allowed to harm any human directly or indirectly. With the way the U.S. government functioned, he would most certainly end up stepping over that line if he involved himself in any matters of state. Furthermore, becoming a public figure was _not _in his self-interest! And with all the restrictions that had been placed upon him, being stuck in a situation where he couldn't fight back was in no way desirable.

Although, it would be fun to take over Earth using Odin's precious rules if only to see the look on Thor's face. As hilarious as that mental image was, though, it wouldn't be worth it. There would eventually be better ways to get the better of both Thor and Odin.

Loki stood up from his position in front of the television he had acquired for the place currently serving as his home. A small apartment that he had recently rented. He would not be there for much longer. When he left the Toomes crew, he would change his cell-phone and move. Like Phineas had said, he was going to vanish just as abruptly as he had appeared. At least from their point of view.

He walked over to the wall. It was bare except for one item; A decent sized mirror hanging on the wall. It had been a necessity purchase for him, not a vain indulgence. Loki had purchased it so that he could make himself presentable each morning. More than that, it helped settle his mind.

Every day, Loki would take a good long look in the mirror. He would look at his own eyes, the bright green, and force himself to recall who he was. What he used to look like. He would not lose himself to a mundane, inane, mortal life like this! Even though he did feel it growing on him. In small ways, true, but he was adapting to it, and adapting meant changing.

His newfound love for coffee. The way he suddenly took care not to bump into anyone. How he had started to relax in the company of the Toomes crew, going so far as to joke with them as if they were somehow friends. It was just tiny things now, but he knew that if he allowed these small changes to accumulate over time, he would find himself become more and more Human. Worst case scenario? In fifty years or so, he would cease being himself. Cease being Loki and fall into the role of 'Robert'. Which, now that he thought about it, was probably Odin's plan. He refused to allow that to happen.

And so Loki looked at his green eyes, recalling the face they belonged to. He forced himself to recall his travels through space and time. He remembered how he had stood face to face with Thanos, the Mad Titan! He made himself remember the enormous monster that had grabbed his throat and how the Mad Titan had hoisted him up, feet dangling above the ground. He pushed himself to remember the Titan's children, prodding and cutting at their new toy, Loki.

Every humiliation, every bit of pain, he would remember it all. He would never forget it. No, instead, he would let it fuel him. For he was Loki, the God of Tricks, Mayhem, and Lies! He was merely a God trapped amongst Men right now. But he would not be held back forever! He would escape. There was no rush. He would live for thousands of years, after all. So what if he had to spend a hundred or so years here? That was nothing to a being such as him. He knew how to play the long game. That was… As long as... If Thanos didn't… Loki shook his head to clear his thoughts.

_No! Enough. The Tesseract isn't even on Earth anymore,_ Loki thought to himself,_ there is no reason whatsoever for Thanos to come to such a backwater world._

And even if he did come, he wouldn't know who Loki was. His altered appearance would serve him well, in more ways than one. Loki frowned to himself as another thought crossed his mind.

_What does Thanos need the Tesseract for?_ he thought to himself as his frown deepened.

The Titan was already mighty enough by himself. The male commanded a massive army to carry out his will. Loyal subjects to do his bidding. Why would he…? Could he...? There was no reason to...!

Loki shook his head vigorously.

_No. Be rational about it! Do not panic,_ he scolded himself firmly.

Yes, his resources were limited, but he could figure this out on his own. Thor had taken the Tesseract back to Asgard when he'd brought Loki in for his farce of a trial. That much he knew. But what had happened to the mind staff? A cold shiver ran down Loki's back at the thought. He had no desire to touch that, that _thing_ again! Even he hadn't been able to resist its' power! Still… having a look around might be beneficial. If only to confirm the damn _thing's_ current location. Loki frowned and tapped at his chin.

First question then; Who would know where it was located? The Avengers and high ranking S.H.I.E.L.D. agents seemed like the top candidates. At least to start with.

Loki turned back to look at the television screen. Infiltrating one of said groups could prove extremely beneficial. Right now, they seemed to be a key player in regards to current events, and something told Loki that they would play a significant role in future events as well.

The Avengers group were a S.H.I.E.L.D. initiative, right? The two were quite clearly connected. Getting access to one would allow him a foothold inside the other.

Loki tilted his head, weighing his available options. Yes. It seemed like an excellent next step for him to take. He had established an identity in this world. He had a good-sized income to his name. He had connections to several underground rings thanks to the Toomes group. He was now secure enough to take the next step and infiltrate himself. All he needed to figure out was how he was going to go about it.


	10. Mischief is key

The first step of the plan when infiltrating S.H.I.E.L.D. was, of course, observation. Loki needed to gather any information that he could. Had to look for the hidden patterns and any people involved with the organization from the lowest levels up. Even the smallest piece of information could be vital. He listened in on any S.H.I.E.L.D. related conversation he could find, even the ones that sounded like nothing more than gossip. However, as Loki started to work on his self-assigned task, something began to stand out to him the deeper he went.

He was not the first to think that it would be a good idea to infiltrate S.H.I.E.L.D..

It wasn't just a single individual here and there working undercover to get information on the secretive group. There was an entire _network _of people inside S.H.I.E.L.D., spying on them without overtly hindering them. It was what Loki could best describe as an infestation! Most interesting tidbit of all? The spies were a part of a group called Hydra.

After watching for a while, Loki wasn't sure who was more numerous in the large organization, HYDRA agents or S.H.I.E.L.D. agents. It was a dangerous cocktail, as it was nearly impossible to tell who was who. It also left a huge question, who amongst them should Loki ally himself with?

It seemed like it was only a matter of time before HYDRA won. By all appearances, they looked to be eating S.H.I.E.L.D. up from the inside out!

And yet, Loki was not allowed to hurt Humans. Directly or indirectly. And his findings showed that HYDRA 'hurt' Humans. The amount of damage and loss of life caused by the organization was... extensive. While looking over the history of HYDRA and trying to dig up their current operations, Loki's crimes began to look outright laughable in comparison! This group… they were capable of killing several _thousand _people over the span of a single day, _and _they covered it up so well that no one even knew about it! And they used their power well. Loki had to marvel at his findings. This was so different from Asgardian politics and how Asgardians went about their business.

Asgardians always walked in through the front door, announcing their very presence loud and proud and making any combat as visible as possible. It was part of the Asgardian honor code. To always face combat in honorable ways and _never_ run from a battle! On Asgard, it was considered better to die in battle than run from the battlefield.

Loki had always found it rather foolish, honestly. Why walk in yelling to all and sundry that you were about to attack? There were much simpler ways to win a war. Methods that even resulted in less death and well, a lot less of a mess. These Humans, though, they were so underhanded. They were so filled with lies, deceit, conspiracies, and trickery. Oh, Loki had gotten them all wrong.

They were fun!

He was in the process of trying to infiltrate either group right now. On the face of it, neither side seemed worth the effort. Especially not when there was something _else _Loki could do. Something which would require a lot less afford on his part, but could also cause a significant ripple effect that would be out of anyone's control. If he succeeded, then he could sit back and try to direct tiny portions of events in his favor while letting the main event run its' course.

He was essentially looking at a giant hornet's nest. And all _he _had to do was poke it with a stick. Simple, yes?

And so Loki went to work. He began by creating a folder with all the information he could find on Hydra's plans, all the proof that was needed to start an in-depth investigation. Photos and names of high ranking Hydra agents that had infiltrated S.H.I.E.L.D. and then he was going to deliver all this very information… to Hydra itself.

The realization that someone had figured them out was sure to make HYDRA panic. They would start to act in haste, and they would potentially accuse each other of being the source of the leak. Someone was doomed to make a wrong move during such a panic.

It was a fine art. It took skill to do as little work as possible by yourself, and let others work themselves up in a frenzy for you while you sit back and watch the show.

Of course, Loki knew he wasn't allowed to hurt Humans _indirectly_. And yet... he casually flipped through the folder he had created and frowned. Could these people be considered Human, even by Odin's standards? Wouldn't he be saving _a lot _more Humans than this folder could potentially kill? And the people who _could _be killed were mostly murderers themselves.

Not only that, but his folder was filled with information they already knew. How harmful could it be, to show them that someone had found them out?

_Are you going to punish me for this, Heimdal?_ Loki thought at the Watcher. _No response, eh?_

With no reaction from the All-Seer, Loki got himself ready to act on what he had found. He packed up a bag with his disguise and then went out into the city. He went to the other end of the town, so he was on the other side of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s headquarters. There he found a tucked-away corner where there was a blind spot for the city cameras. Once hidden from sight, he pulled out the S.H.I.E.L.D. uniform that he'd brought with him. The outfit matched all others he'd seen the group wear, complete with the badge and a helmet with a reflective visor to conceal most of his face. After he had put on the uniform, he tucked the empty bag behind a trash can. He stood at the blind spot for an hour and then walked out to join a particularly large group of Midgardians. He split from the group and walked toward the front gate of the S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters, where a guard was standing looking bored.

"HALT! State your business," the undercover Hydra agent shouted.

"I need to deliver this to Director Fury," Loki replied in a voice slightly lower-pitched than his usual tone as he approached the guard. He showed the Hydra agent the sealed manilla envelope. "Top secret. I was told that this seal is not to be broken by _anyone _other than the director himself! Do you understand?"

The Hydra agent looked Loki over with a frown and then nodded his head.

"Leave it to me, sir," the guard said as he held out a hand. "Just give it to me, and I'll run this to him straight away."

Loki hesitated a bit.

"I don't know…" he hedged carefully. "It is _essential_ that no one else other than Director Fury sees this. I probably should deliver it myself if you'll let me through."

"Sir, it's okay," The guard put on a fake smile. "This is S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters. We are all trained professionals here, and you know there are protocols to follow."

"True," Loki said slowly, letting the tension linger for a bit.

The Hydra agent straightened from his 'at ease' position, his hand slowly moving toward his gun. Loki was quickly able to tell that the man was ready to shoot Loki down for that envelope and claim that Loki was an interloper. Loki smirked slightly. Thankfully his grin couldn't easily be seen behind the visor.

"I guess I was just a bit paranoid," Loki said jovially as he held out the manilla envelope. "I doubt you would be asked to guard headquarters if you weren't trustworthy. My apologies and also my thanks! This will save me some time. I've other deliveries to make."

The agent grinned, a triumphant look readily filling the man's eyes as he took the envelope in hand.

"You're welcome," he stated, a brief outright maniacal grin passing over his lips before he managed to hide it. Loki almost scoffed. What an amateur! He was so easy to see through. And Hydra considered itself a _secret _organization?

"Well, then, I hope you have a nice day!" Loki continued in a pleasant voice. "Thanks again!"

He turned around and walked away as the Hydra agent grinned once more. Holding the envelope in his hands, he flipped on his radio and muttered into it, his eyes fairly glistening with his perceived victory.

Loki had a hard time containing his laughter, chuckling softly as he went back to the blind spot. After making sure no one was around, he changed out of the uniform and put it back into the bag. He had to keep a good hold on his glee as he stood there for another hour. When there was an opening, he once again joined a big group of Midgardians and left the area.

It seemed like forever before he made it back home. Once there, he threw himself on the couch and let go. The sound of his howling laughter rang loudly through the room. It took him several moments to calm down, and he pursed his lips as he settled back against the arm of the couch with one leg hanging over the edge. He chuckled again.

"Poke, poke, poke!" he jabbed his finger out at the empty air as if disturbing a bee's nest. Then he looked up at the ceiling and called out loudly. "Hey, Heimdall! Why did the wasp refuse to buy new stripes?"

He paused an appropriate amount of time and then yelled out the answer.

"Because it was too stingy!"

Of course, there was no response to the weak pun. Loki smirked though, as he could readily imagine Heimdal frowning at him in annoyance.

"I'm doing good, by the way," Loki continued conversationally as he casually grabbed an apple from the table. "Interesting people here on 'Earth.' They are just as underhanded as I am, got to give them that."

He took a bite of the apple, enjoying the flavor for a moment before he spoke again.

"I am starting to feel at home here, oddly enough. Every day I see people lie and cheat; oh, but it makes my heart sing with joy. It does surprise me somewhat," he said as he rolled onto his stomach and took another bite. "There are so many ways these Humans can lie to each other. And even to themselves. Hah! They screw their own kind over again and again! Honestly, this place is a delight! What a petty, selfish race, these humans are — everyone out for themselves. It's a good lesson; I'll grant you that! I'll be sure to take it to heart."

Far away, in another realm, Heimdal closed his eyes and sighed softly. He was not looking forward to giving Odin his next report. That Loki seemed to be adapting to accept only the _worst _aspects of Humanity instead of the good ones, unlike Thor, was troubling. Yes, he was adjusting better to the limitations placed on him, which shouldn't have been too surprising, but his arrogance had not been diminished in the least.

It was starting to look like this case of 'surveillance duty' was going to last Heimdal a long, _long _time.


	11. An old fable

Once, some several hundred years ago, when both Thor and Loki were very young, they had gone to Midgard. They were for all intents and purposes, stupid teenagers that wanted to prove their 'manhood.'

One visit turned to multiple outings as they went to... well, to hang out with the locals, have fun and be general trouble makers. Neither of them put much thought into their actions, nor what their efforts might result in. To them, both of them, it was all good for a laugh.

At one point, Thor had seen a big, beautiful stag and summarily declared that said stag was going to be his dinner. That it would make a grand meal for a God such as he. He quickly crushed its skull with his hammer and then slung the felled beast over his shoulder. He and Loki then walked to a nearby house where a Midgardian and his family lived.

Thor had laughed and presented them with his big kill, telling them to roast the deer so they could all feast together that night in celebration of a good hunt.

And yet the people who lived in that house had been horrified!

It was a father, living in peace with his son and daughter. His wife, the kids' mother, had passed away not long ago. And, as it turned out, that stag had been special to them. When the stag had been a foal, their late mother had found it with a broken leg and taken care of it, raised it as a faithful pet. Now that she had passed away, they considered the stag a living memory of her love.

When the stag had become an adult, it had come and gone as near-wild creatures often did. It was part of their family regardless. It had, at one point, even saved the father from wild wolves. They owed their father's life to their mother's stag.

They were _furious _with Thor_._

The family demanded compensation. Nothing less than gold would be enough to make up for Thor's 'crime.' Gold enough to cover the entire stag like a burial cairn! Thor and Loki had looked at each other for a long moment before Thor agreed with their demand. His brother opted to stay behind, and he asked Loki to fetch the gold. Loki was not about to ask their father for such a stupid amount of gold, however, nor did Loki wish to give away their misdeed. So instead, he went to the home of one of the Kings living on Midgard.

And then promptly stole a large sack filled with the man's hoarded gold.

It didn't take long for him to return and easily covered the entire stag with the gold.

The family's eyes, which beforehand had been stricken with grief, were now lightning up in pure astonishment, followed by simple greed. So great was this greed, that there was no room whatsoever for their prior sorrow, and they let Thor and Loki go on their way.

"Oh, by the way!" Loki had said as he walked out the door. "You might not want to keep that gold. It's cursed. Whoever owns it will face great misfortune. And I do not just mean the three of you, but your descendants or whoever might be foolish enough to steal it. Anyone who has it will suffer a rather horrible death."

Thor gave Loki an odd look, but Loki just smirked at his brother. The family was too shocked to stop them, and the two were on their way. A little under a hundred years later, Loki and Thor had all but forgotten about said incident. That is until they suddenly stumbled upon the self-same pile of gold that Loki had initially handed over, piled outside the unmoved remains of a now ruined house. A man was standing above it, a mad look in his eyes.

"No, NO!" the man was shaking his head and muttering to himself. "This treasure _must _be destroyed! It is cursed and cannot be kept! It has brought nothing but death and ruin to my family! Yes, that should work. I shall throw it into the river and return it to the Gods!"

The man's antics left Thor and Loki looking at each other in astonishment. Confused, Loki started to ask around, they eventually got the full story.

After Loki and Thor had left, the father of the house had declared the treasure his. As was his 'right' as the man of the house. His son had not been happy about the announcement, as he had reached his maturity. The younger man had demanded a share of the treasure. The father refused, and that had led to a fight where the son killed his father. With the older man dead, the son had claimed the gold for himself. The daughter, who had stayed out of the fight, had demanded that she have a share. Her brother had refused, saying he hadn't become a kin-slayer only to share _his _gold with another. He had then taken the gold with him and settled down on a mountain top where he guarded the gold ferociously.

Enraged by this, the sister had eventually found a strong man to marry, and soon after gave birth to a son. She had raised her son with stories of the treasure, telling the boy that it rightfully belonged to him and not his kin-slaying uncle. When the son became an adult, he went on a quest to get revenge on his uncle, both for the murder of his grandfather and the theft of the treasure.

When the son had arrived on the top of the mountain, he found a man who had become frail. His uncle had refused to leave his treasure, not even daring to go far to hunt for food. The kill was an easy one, and the son had returned in triumph with the cache of gold.

Shortly after his return, a young woman in town started to bat her eyelashes at the son. After a time, she then suggested that they should marry.

The son was beyond pleased. He had always held warm feelings for this particular woman. It was only since his return that she started to notice him, and he had assumed it was because she finally recognized his bravery. The truth, though, was different. Horribly so. She did not love him. She only loved his newfound wealth!

Soon enough, she gave birth to the man's child, which was also a healthy boy. When her husband started to talk about sharing their treasure to better their community, she grew angry and protective of the 'family treasure.' She refused to risk once more becoming poor. As such, she killed her husband in a way that looked like an accident and gone on to live a life of luxury. She was cruel to all of her servants and abused them to the point that they revolted against her and killed her.

Leaving her child behind as an orphan. Her son.

The man standing before Thor and Loki now, ranting and raving about the gold? Declaring that the treasure should be disposed of? He was the great-grandson of the man they had initially given the gold to.

Realizing what had happened, both Thor and Loki stared, wide-eyed looking at the young man in shock. Thor's eyes became shadowed with worry, and he turned to Loki.

"Loki," he started, in a voice that was filled with a small measure of fear. "Perhaps… perhaps you shouldn't have handed the mortals a cursed treasure in payment for the stag."

After a moment of confused silence, Loki burst out laughing.

"Ha. Hahahaha!" Loki shook his head. "Thor, my brother, what are you _talking _about?!"

"The treasure is cursed!" Thor exclaimed, clearly upset with his brother's antics. He waved a hand toward the man and then at Loki. "You said so yourself!"

"Are you truly _that _stupid, Thor?" Loki asked as he waved a hand dismissively. "Of course it isn't cursed. I just made that up on the fly! There are no such things as 'cursed' treasures on Midgard, you idiot!"

Gobsmacked, Thor looked at Loki.

"It's Human greed! That's _all _that this is! Greed," Loki exclaimed in a humorous voice before pointing as his head, "and _stupidity_."

Thor kept looking as astounded and as stupid at his statement. Loki bent over, holding his stomach as he howled with laughter. The trickster had barely _done _anything! Only said, as a prank, that the treasure was cursed. The humans had caused all of that damage and heartbreak on their own!

It had been a valuable lesson for Loki back then. Often times, all you needed to do was to set the ball rolling and allow everyone else to do the dirty work for you.

Already Loki could see the results of his little shove. Hydra agents were falling like flies as they accused each other of being the leak. Just as he had predicted they would. Their paranoia grew and grew, and all he had to do was give the occasional poke to stir the 'nest' back up.

And their mistakes made other people aware of them. Nick Fury himself started to become aware of the fact that _something _was going on under his nose.

Their little house of cards, oh so carefully built over years, perhaps decades, was crumbling. And Loki was witnessing it all fall to pieces around them. Oh, those silly, silly Humans. They were so predictable and yet...

Loki could feel that the end results were going to be fun to watch!

* * *

_AN:_

_The story in this chapter is a re-interpretation of the Norse Myth "Fafners treasure." which is about a cursed treasure originally given by Loki as compensation for accidentally killing the families son, not a stag. It was Odin however, who accidentally killed the son._

_In the story though, Loki steals the treasure from a dwarf, and it is indeed cursed. It then brings death and ruin to the family for generations until the last son of the family throws it back into the river where Loki originally stole it from and then killed himself to keep the location of the treasure a secret._

_So yeah, the significant changes are this; Odin killed the son, but Loki goes get the treasure for him. The dwarf he steals the treasure from warns Loki that the treasure is cursed, and anyone who own it will be met with ruin. Loki doesn't care since he isn't going to keep it anyway._

_He warns the family about it, though, but they are so overcome with greed they don't care._

_It is the brother who goes to the mountain with the treasure. He is called "Fafner," and he actually transforms himself into a dragon to guard this treasure (So there's your origin for that trope.) The battle he has with his not nephew, but grand-nephew (Grand-child of his sister) for the treasure is rather epic and involves help from Odin._

_Then there are multiple stories about the different generations and how the treasure ruins them, until again, the last person in the family line, a man called Sigmund throws it back into the same river where the river dwarf live, and Loki first got it and kills himself, so no one knows where the treasure is._


	12. Winther Soldier

Alexander Pierce's eyes were cold. Yet another folder with delicate information had found its' way to his hands. This time, it was his own picture looking back at him atop the other pages held within. Scribbled across said photo in bright red letters were the words _'The guy in charge.'_

His eyes flicked upwards, meeting the gaze of the female agent currently standing in front of him.

"Where?" he asked.

"Slipped into the bag of Agent Jefferson," she informed, knowing without having to ask what he wanted to know. "Based on the security footage, it seems to be the same person from the previous incidents. They were the same height and build and wore the same style of S.H.I.E.L.D. uniform with a visor to cover their face. This time they went South-West to a blind spot we were unaware of and… vanished from the camera yet again."

She sounded mildly embarrassed by that last addition to her report, as well she should. He'd issued orders to find and fix any such 'blind spots' the moment they realized what was going on. Pierce's eyes were hard as he turned his gaze back to the folder in his hands.

"Someone is making a mockery of us," he fumed. He looked back up at the operative in front of him. "I don't care how, but I want that person silenced and gone. If it is found that he has allies, then they are _all _to besilenced and removed from the playing field."

The woman looked at him questioningly.

"By _any _means necessary agent," Pierce said firmly as he tossed the folder onto his desk. "Our position here must not be compromised."

"Do I have the authority to bring in the Winter Soldier for this?" the woman asked.

Pierce fell silent for a moment.

"If it seems to be a good course of action to handle our problem, then calling on him might work," he started thoughtfully before nodding his head firmly. "Hm, it's unlikely, but if he is somehow caught on camera killing our leak, then we can place the blame on him rather than risk exposing ourselves any further to the others. Yes, you have the authorization to call in the Winter Soldier if you feel that he is needed."

The woman nodded her head, her lips forming two words in a way so that it could be seen but not heard.

And Pierce did the same and smiled coldly as she left the room.

Those words had been 'Hail Hydra.'

* * *

Loki could not remember the last time he had this much fun!

Being able to fool around with these Humans, making them chase their own tale, was beyond amusing to him. And nothing was going to stop him from having his fun.

He was just being mischievous, which was his nature!

Today was the fifth time in four months that he had donned the S.H.I.E.L.D. uniform. He was playing around with a single picture this time instead of a folder. The image was of a high ranking female Hydra agent, well, that and he had drawn a noticeable red nazi symbol on the photo, right over her face. Loki was trying to think of where he should drop it. He had, of course, been taking great care not to do this too frequently, but to space out his little jaunts so that security would grow lax once more.

He was done no longer giving items directly to S.H.I.E.L.D. agents either. After doing that the once, he knew that they would check the identity of anyone coming in. Even handing over the photo to a Hydra agent would be risky right now, as they were just as paranoid. He grinned as an idea hit him. The food supply! How funny would it be to put the photo into someone's random lunch container? Let some random individual find it and watch the magic happen.

If the person who found it in their lunch was a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent, then he or she would be sure to exclaim about it and question its' presence, asking his co-workers if they were playing a prank. As such, any Hydra agents in the room would see it and panic. If it was a Hydra agent, then that agent would likewise panic, or at least start acting in a suspicious and unbecoming manner.

The thought made Loki smirk. Oh, but that was a hilarious mental image. There was also the benefit that, if he stuck it into their food, no one was going to know how it got there.

All of a sudden, Loki fell silent, his mirth gone. He started to casually look over the photo in his hand. He knew that feeling prickling along his senses. There was someone out there, watching him. Loki turned around just slightly, putting a hand to his pocket and acting like he might have forgotten something. What he was actually doing was scanning the area around him. Nothing. Continuing with his ruse of being forgetful, he slowly started to walk back the way he'd come. He needed to leave the area.

Loki heard footsteps following him, and he glanced over his shoulder and saw a rather peculiar looking man trailing after him. Said male was wearing what looked like a leather uniform that covered all but his left arm. The arm itself seemed to be made of some kind of shiny metal. His face was obscured by a pair of dark goggles and a mask covered up his lower face. The design of the mask was odd, almost like a gas mask.

"Can I help you?" Loki asked in a casual voice as he came to a halt.

The man also came to a halt, standing absolutely still without responding to his question. Loki turned to face him, noting his brown, greasy hair, which, alongside his forehead, seemed to be the only thing visible beyond the man's arm.

Loki tilted his head as he looked the male over. The man's posture was very... strict… Almost mechanical. It was odd.

"You do know that if you don't talk, then it will be challenging to have, oh what's the word, a 'conversation,'" he pointed out in the teasing, sarcastic manner he usually used to piss people off. He often needed his opponents to _talk _to him, so he could twist their words and ideas of what was going on to his advantage.

The man ignored his words, however, and continued to remain still and stoically silent. That is until he suddenly reached into a pocket and pulled out a gun. The gun was aimed directly at Loki, and the trickster's eyes widened in shock. Without even hesitating, the mysterious man pulled the trigger.

Loki barely managed to jump aside in time, given the distance between them. He didn't waste any time, turning around and immediately booking it away from his attacker. The mysterious stranger wasn't too far behind him as the man had started to jog after him, all while shooting at the same time. Bullets flew in all directions, and people screamed at the unexpected danger that they faced. Loki didn't let their panic stop him. He shouted as he ran, less to warn others and more to get them out of his way

"MOVE DAMMIT!" he had to keep pushing people aside to gain himself passage.

A huge object came flying down from above and crashed right in front of Loki, almost squishing him. Thankfully he was able to stop in time, and his jaw dropped at the sight. It was an entire _god damned car._ Loki stumbled back a few steps.

_The guy is strong enough to fling cars around,_ he thought to himself. _Well, that's just bloody fantastic, now isn't it?_

A wide-eyed Loki glanced behind himself and saw that the man was slowly but surely advancing on him, emptying the magazine of his gun and re-loading it as he moved. Loki did not waste any more time, and he turned a corner to run down a nearby alleyway. He took the next left, familiar with the surrounding turns and knowing of a few places he could hide. He could lose the nut job here. It was perfect, it was safe, it was…

Just then, a loud voice boomed in Loki's head.

_'LOKI!_'

"ARGH!"

Loki fell to his knees, hands to his head as Heimdal's deep voice boomed inside of his skull. By the Norns, but that had _hurt _dammit!

"_What?!" _he shouted up at the empty air above him. "I'm a bit _busy _right now if you can't tell!"

_'You are not to harm any humans, neither directly, nor indirectly,' _Heimdal reminded him sternly.

"And I haven't!" Loki shouted in aggravation. "What's your deal?!"

_'Your actions have brought this assassin to this street,'_ Heimdal informed. _"You'd better make sure that he harms no Humans as he chases you. It will be considered a breach of the terms of your punishment!"_

"_What_?" Loki looked up, incredulity marring his expression as he shouted back. "ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! What am I supposed to do, go out and save their useless hides?! Alone and unarmed? Against someone who is actively trying to_ KILL ME_?"

There was no reply from the guardian.

Loki groaned aloud and threw up his hands. How vexing.

"Urgh, _fine_!" he shouted angrily as he turned around and ran back out into the fray. He was just in time to see several people in police uniforms start to surround his gas-mask, leather-clad assassin.

"Put down your weapons!" an officer exclaimed loudly. "PUT THEM DOWN NOW!"

Yeah… That wasn't going to work, even Loki knew better. And it went just as Loki expected it to. His assassin friend remained as silent as a robot. The man simply lifted his gun and fired at the officer who had shouted at him. The police all yelled, each moving to take cover, but then halted in surprise. A sphere-like force field was surrounding them, stopping the projectiles in the air. The bullets fell harmlessly to the ground a moment later.

Wide-eyed, they looked around in confusion before their eyes fell on Loki, still in his S.H.I.E.L.D. uniform with a helmet hiding his face. He was holding the little, square shield device that he had made. He turned it off as he groaned and waved a hand at the group of officers.

"Okay, listen, you guys can't be hurt. I know it's annoying, but that's how it is. So just stand back," he stated as he pulled out a dagger.

_'Loki,' _Heimdal's voice blared a warning in his head.

"I know Heimdal, _I know!" _Loki exclaimed softly before running forward.

He ran directly towards the masked man who aimed his gun once more at Loki. Loki just barely managed to dodge another shot and jumped at the masked man, but the other male blocked his lunge. It became a dance of kicks and punches, each expertly blocking the other as Loki pressed forward to force his opponent further down the street and away from the other Humans.

_Things are just getting better and better! _Loki thought angrily as he fought.

The guy definitely loved his guns. Considering how many times Loki had been forced to knock the hand holding the pistol away from himself or those behind him, he was surprised the fool hadn't had a gun installed on that damn metal arm! Not only that, but he was strong enough to fling cars around and had clearly trained in various martial arts! Furthermore, he continued to refuse to speak despite an occasional taunt from Loki. Loki had no way of playing with the fool's mind!

Loki twisted about and pulled out the 'sleep stick.' As the little object looking like an ordinary pen, he hoped that his opponent would disregard it. All Loki had to do was poke this guy's forehead with it to send him to Dream-land.

_Come on! _Loki snarled to himself as he pushed and pushed for an opening as they exchanged blows. _Just one blow! GODDAMMIT!_

Sadly... the guy was good. Very good. He wouldn't let Loki come close enough to hit him with his trump card. Worse than that… Loki could feel himself start to be overpowered by the other warrior. He was being worn down, slowly but surely. His body didn't have the stamina it would have in his real, unrestricted form. Instead, he was out of breath. Sweat covered his entire body…

_Come on, just let me touch your forehead with this_, Loki thought desperately. _I just need one chance..._

And just like that, Loki mistimed his dodge. The man's robotic arm shot forward and wrapped around Loki's throat. Loki gurgled as he was hoisted up off the ground.

"At least…. Give me a name or something," he wheezed out. The man remained quiet as Loki started to see black spots. Oh god... Was this it? Was he going to die right now? _Here_?

_This is all your fault, Heimdal! _he thought as his vision started to darken. _You could have let me run! This isn't my fault!_

The man just stood there, seemingly not moving a single muscle as he slowly choked Loki. Loki flailed about, trying to loosen that metal arms hold or strike at the man's face with the damned 'pen,' but the man's reach was too long.

_No… I can't die here… I will not… I survived too much. I've loved too long to die so simple a death. You stupid, foolish mortal… You stupid… _Loki felt himself slipping, hands starting to fall limp.

A rounded shield came flying through the air out of seeming nowhere and hit the man right in the head. The blow forced the masked man to drop Loki to the ground and fall back several feet, holding his head. A man with blond hair and bright blue eyes rushed over and stood over Loki's prone form protectively, catching the shield as it rebounded and slipping it on his arm. Loki gasped, partly in pain and partly in surprise as he looked up at his rescuer.

"Ste-Steve Rogers?" he asked in a croaking voice.

"You all right there, soldier?" Steve asked in a concerned voice without taking his eyes off of Loki's attacker.

Loki gasped for air as he thought of how to respond and then got an idea that was sure to work. This was his best chance to really stir up trouble.

"Hydra!" he informed Steve in a desperate sounding voice. "Hydra is still around! They sent this guy to kill me! They're inside of S.H.I.E.L.D. itself!"

Steve's eyes widened as his head turned in Loki's direction.

"_What_?" he asked, his own voice sounding slightly croaky with shock.

"You can't trust anyone!" Loki said as if frantic. "I've been uncovering proof. There are Hydra agents in S.H.I.E.L.D.!"

They had no more time for further conversation as now their assassin friend had regained his equilibrium and attacked once more. This time around, Loki scrambled off to the side, allowing Rogers to take over the effort of subduing the other man. Steve actually managed to hit the assassin in the head a second time with the shield, further disorenting the man. Loki smirked satisfied in satisfaction once he was out of range and had a chance to look over things. He decided that now was a good time get out of the area. This time, as he went running to down a different path in order to 'vanish', there were no objections from Heimdal. Loki took that as agreement that Rogers would have the issue under control.

Once the evening rolled around, Loki had to groan to himself as he laid down on the couch. His entire body was protesting with the pain of moving about. Not to mention the red marks around his neck that he was ignoring. He had dealt with worse. This was nothing. Nothing at all.

Once again, both the internet and the television were kind enough to provide him with the information that he needed regarding the days events. The assassin and Rogers had been engaged in combat for a long while. Several S.H.I.E.L.D. agents had met up with Rogers shortly after their fight was over. The didn't catch their assassin however. The man had seemed to realize that, not only had his target been lost, but he was outnumbered. The man had successfully retreated from the area.

Loki groaned as he laid back fully. Perhaps now was the time to just retire from this little 'poking the hive' project. He had set the snowball rolling so to speak, and now Rogers knew about the infestation as well. Just having 'Captain America' aware of the situation was sure to start an avalanche all on its own. At this point, he just needed to stay out everyone's way...

Loki abruptly remembered Heimdal's voice booming in his head, and he groaned in dismay. He _couldn't _just stay out of it. He actually had to hang around at the fringes of things and make sure that no one got hurt specifically because of his pranks.

Great… Just great.


	13. Remember

Another drawback of this much weaker mortal body was that it required that Loki sleep…

Of course, Loki's original body also demanded that he rest, but not nearly to the same extent as his altered state. He used to be able to stay awake for days on end, and his mind would remain just as sharp. Since his forced alteration, Loki found that he needed to sleep every day for at least six to eight hours, or else his mind would grow foggy and unfocused. That was something he could not afford, especially not now when he had a masked man out there looking for him.

This had led to the most annoying thing that he'd ever encountered; Loki couldn't sleep. He needed to, now more than ever before in his life. Yet such slumbering bliss was being denied to him.

He twisted and turned about in his in bed, each movement causing his entire body to protest. Cold sweat ran down his back, and a pained moan escaped his lips as he tried to push away the lingering sensation of a hand around his throat. The memory of that man's robotic arm hoisting him into the air, squeezing the life out of him, would not leave him. Again and again, the memory replayed in his mind, and each time Loki was powerless against him... helpless...

He growled and rolled onto his back, his hand reaching out above him as he tried to summon his magic to him. Once again, nothing happened. His magic wasn't just denied to him, it just... wasn't there.

The least the last time Loki had faced such a threat, he had still had his magic and strength available to him. He had still been able to fight back! The last time...

A time where another cold, cyborg arm had held his throat painfully tight. That one had belonged to a blue-skinned, female alien with eyes dark as the vastness of space itself.

"_Most days… I feel nothing," Nebula had said in a voice void of emotion. "Do you know what I have to do to feel anything? Anything at all?"_

_Loki had smirked at her, ignoring the hand holding his throat. He had the strength of an Asgardian. Her strength, though significant enough to hold him, was not enough to prevent him from speaking. _

_"Oh, please, my dear do regale me with your tale," he said sarcastically as if they were having a friendly conversation over tea. _

_Nebula's eyes remained blank, her expression practically as robotic as the arm that held him. She tilted her head as she looked at him, for all the world looking like a curious bird that might peck his eyes out. _

_"As I grew, Thanos took my body away from me. Piece by piece. Part by part. It was so painful at first. Then I got used to the pain. I could longer feel it searing through my body. No," she said calmly, her free hand passing over Loki's face, almost... lovingly. "I have to see others experience pain now, even if the pain is merely a fraction of what I felt. I feel something when I see it. Do you understand? I can feel… Ah, but Father has been very nice to me today. Father has given me a pretty new toy to play with." _

_Loki had jerked his head forward, biting viciously into the hand touching him. Despite drawing blood, Nebula didn't move, didn't even so much as flinch. In fact, she looked disappointed. As Loki let go and spat away her blood, she tilted her head the other way and looked over the injury. Her grip had not flagged in the slightest._

"_I should have felt something from that," Nebula observed with a seemingly sorrowful sigh. "I did not feel a thing. Again. I had hoped one of your strength would allow me to feel pain again."_

"_Sister, dear," another alien spoke up, this one male and looking even stranger. The male had no nose and thin white hair falling down to his shoulders. "We mustn't be rude to our guest."_

"_Don't interfere, Ebony," Nebula said firmly as she turned her attention to her 'brother.' "Father gave me the toy."_

"_He gave _**_us _**_a toy," Ebony corrected sternly as he sat down in a nearby chair. Bundles of needles suddenly appeared, floating around beside him the air. "And what a fine specimen it is! I am going to look forward to picking through his brain."_

_Loki's eyes remained harsh as he glared at the other man._

"_If you wish to scream for your mother to aid you, I suggest that you do so now," Ebony encouraged with a sickly smile. "You might not be able to in the future."_

_Loki smirked, his mein of bravado not fading in the slightest despite the danger that he faced. _

_"Tell you what, you wrinkly old fool," Loki started mockingly, "_**_if _**_you can actually make me scream with pain, then I'll tell you everything I know."_

"_Oh? Is that a challenge?" Ebony asked, his eyes flashing with sadistic glee._

"_Sounded like it to me, brother," Nebula said, her lips curling up into a cruel smile._

"_Well, then. I suppose we'd best get started, yes? I'd hate to disappoint," Ebony commented idly. _

_A needle floated forward and pressed itself against Loki's scalp. The pain was immediate... and intense. It was like a spear of white-hot iron fresh out of the forge was being jammed into his skull. It was so severe a pain that Loki's vision was going white… _

_But he_**_ did not _**_scream._

_"Ah... Let the fun begin," Ebony grinned coldly, and the pain intensified._

Loki's eyes flew open, and he sat up abruptly. His heart was pounding in his chest, his head ached something fierce, and he was left gasping for air as he looked around frantically. Where was he? A bare room? With... furniture? This... wasn't a cell. It… where? It took a moment for Loki to realize that he was in his own room. A room that he had bought. A place in... in New York. That was it. He was on Midgard. On Earth.

He tried to collect his thoughts, rubbing at his head. He was drenched in sweat, his body wouldn't stop shaking… Worse of all was the hated thought that Heimdal had probably witnessed the entire thing. Loki groaned and covered his face with his hands. He forced himself to take several slow, deep breaths to calm his racing heart.

He wasn't scared…

He was a _god_...

He didn't _need _magic or grand strength to win against his foes.

_He was a god._

He kept reminding himself of that fact over and over again, forcing himself to ignore the ghost feeling of fingers wrapping around his throat, hoisting him up, choking the life from him...

Loki stood up abruptly and took a few steps away from his bed, only to stumble. He barely managed to grab hold of the back of the chair at his computer desk, halting his downward moment. He gasped and panted for breath, fingers clawing at his neck. Scratching at the memory of fingers that _were not there_.

Why…

Why was he so damned weak? By the Norns, Hel, by the Midgardian's most common God, couldn't even manage to _walk to the_ _bathroom_! He couldn't. He needed... No… _No_.. Loki didn't need them. He didn't need _Thor_. He didn't need _Odin_. He didn't need _Heimdal. _He didn't need... No.

_No_.

He could figure this out on his own. After all, he was _Loki. _The God of Mischief, Trickery, and Pranks.

His fingers tightened around the back of the chair, and he straightened himself out of his hunched position. He abruptly grabbed the back of the chair with both hands and let out a mighty roar, throwing the chair across the room so that it smashed against the far wall.

"_AAARGHHH_! You want me to play your little _game _Heimdal!? Play _Odin's _game?!" he exclaimed loudly, throwing his head back and spreading out his arms. "I'll play your damned game! So you had best _watch _me! WITNESS ME!"

An angry shout boomed up from underneath him. It was that awful woman living below him.

"_What _is going on up there?!" she harangued. "Be quiet, will you?! Some of us have _work_ tomorrow!"

Loki's eyes narrowed, and he glared down at the floor beneath his feet. He held his tongue, his mind calming as the stress from his night terrors finally faded away. His downstairs neighbor seemed to calm down as well. Or at least, she'd stopped yelling at him. He took a deep breath and let it out, nodding to himself resolutely.

There was a way to turn this, this _farce _to his advantage. He would find the path needed and exploit it. He would show them all…

He would _never _be made a fool of again.

* * *

_This chapter has been edited by __Arei-The Peridot Dragon_


	14. Finding answers

Loki's apartment was quite the sight these days. Especially since things outside had gone to Hel in a handbasket...

Hydra bringing in the Winter Soldier had been a major mistake for the secret organization to make. Said action had tipped S.H.I.E.L.D. off to their activities, proving without a doubt that the information Loki had been sharing about a 'secret group' was accurate. In turn, they had deployed Rogers, the Good Ol' Captain America, out on a mission to try and uncover more information on the group. Hydra's reaction? Take acts that only _further _exposed their presence to Rogers and the others.

A brilliant job that.

Loki had indeed sent that 'snowball' rolling as intended. And to make matters worse, there was no stopping it! Loki couldn't be bothered to check in on Rogers and his activities, the man alone would make sure that no one was hurt on either side of the conflict. No, Loki's eyes were glued to a computer screen for the third day in a row for another reason entirely. That reason was also why there were way too many dirty coffee mugs and a half-filled pot sitting on the table next to his open laptop.

The Winter Soldier. The man on the run from police and S.H.I.E.L.D.. The man who had a kill record as one of the best assassins in the world. He was Loki's problem, because he was the one most likely to kill someone. And any such death would be _Loki's _fault.

Loki hadn't really bothered to look in a mirror recently. It wasn't like he was going to leave the room any time soon. Had he bothered though, he would have found that his pupils had grown slightly dilated, his hair was loose of its' tie and was a mess, and he had dark patches under his eyes. All in all, he looked quite manic at the moment.

_Who are you, Mr. Robot-arm assassin?! _Loki thought to himself with a small, vicious sounding snarl. _I _**_shall _**_find you! I will learn the words that make you tick. To make you falter in your goal. _

It was long and strenuous work, but Loki had managed to dig up pictures. All of which were connected with some unexplained 'disaster' involving a lot of dead people. There was nothing to be found when he looked for singular attacks, but it was easier to hide a singular murder behind the guise of an accident. Working his way backward, Loki had started to focus on those unexplained incidents where many people had died all at once due to explosions, gas leaks, and other 'mass accidents.' It was slow going, trying to sort through each and every image and piece of footage to see if he could find his robot-armed assassin, but he was determined to find a lead.

Most of the footage and photos were duds. Of course, they were. Nothing of use to be found in the Vietnam incident where American soldiers had thrown harsh chemicals on the native population.

Nothing in the mass shooting in Rwanda where there were two tribes of dark-skinned people at each other's throats. A shooting that ended up being a massacre on both sides.

Nothing in Tibet when China had taken over and cruelly shot down any native resident that refused to bend knee.

Only _one _thing could be confirmed as Loki looked over all of these atrocities; that there were, and likely would always be, incidents where

humans killed humans. Where they tortured and maimed each other over the strangest things.

The more he saw, the more he felt that his very first opinion of them had been entirely correct… humans were dangerous, foolish creatures.

It didn't matter _which _nation he looked at. It didn't matter what skin color they had. It didn't even matter what language they spoke. Every country, every civilization, every religion, had a dark history that involved a lot of blood, a lot of pain, and a whole lot of death.

Even now, in this supposedly enlightened age of technology, it was still happening. As Loki casually looked over the screen, elsewhere on this god-forsaken planet, humans were being shot at by other humans.

_What an absolutely rotten place, _he thought to himself with a shake of his head. _They should have let me take over when they had the chance. I wouldn't have allowed this waste of energy and resources._

Loki's eyes scanned across the details behind yet another human massacre. 'The Bogside Massacre, Ireland, 1973. A group of British law officers opened fire on innocent Irish protesters.' Loki groaned and rubbed at his forehead as he read the year. He was starting to go too far back. Humans didn't live that long, and his assassin was probably a baby at that poi-

Loki froze for a moment before he jerked forward, squinting his eyes at the old newspaper image… It couldn't be, but it _was_. _That was him!_

But… This newspaper was from _1973_?! Wait.. how old could Midgardians live to be again? One quick google search later, the oldest recorded human listed had lived to be 122 years old. Although reports were conflicted on if that was the woman's actual age before she died. Still... He searched a few images and then frowned. Humans around the age of fifty already looked like wrinkled raisins most of the time. He sat back in his seat and tapped at his chin.

_Alright then, _Loki thought to himself. _Let us be very, very generous to this guy. There are some older Midgardian's who have aged well based on the photos I've found, so let us assume that he is a fifty-year-old Midgardian who keeps himself in shape. As it is 2013 right now, that would mean that in 1973... the man would be ten years old at the time. No... that..._

Loki wasn't entirely sure how human aging and biology worked, but his calculations didn't seem possible. Even if he accounted for the man being, let's say, eighteen or twenty at the time that photo was taken, the man would be in his sixties by now. He shook his head and continued to look through the images for more glimpses of his quarry. The further back he looked, the more photos he found. There were even photos that showed the man's blue eyes. Something seemed off, though...

Those eyes… even in the photos, they looked blank. Lifeless. So did his face. Loki managed to find a decent, somewhat up-close photo and saw that the man's pupils were tiny pin-pricks, even though he stood in the shadows. Several hours after, Loki managed to find the man's image showing him at the scene of multiple incidents. The man himself never changed.

His eyes and his face, though? That complete lack of reaction or emotion? It stayed the same. Which was strange. There were no photos where he looked like he was talking to anyone, either. Not in _any single one _of the pictures. Was he, quite literately, a machine then? A highly sophisticated robot?

Loki frowned and then shook his head. No, obviously, that wasn't the case. Loki had _heard_ the man breathing beneath the mask as they fought. This _was _a man. He was very much alive. However, given the age discrepancy, Loki found himself asking a very different question; was he of Midgard? Was he even Human to begin with? Or... perhaps he was like Steve Rogers or even Bruce Banner. A child born of Midgard but with a changed and modified body that gave him youth and strength beyond the norm?

And then there was the way the man had moved. The odd way that he failed to take account of anything but the target he was hunting down. Well, perhaps it was not that he was unable to take account of, he _did _target the officers when they were in his way after all. Yet that single-minded focus reminded Loki of something.

Loki snapped his fingers and grinned.

Oh yeah! His little bow-wielding pet! When he had put the archer under the control of the mind staff, his body had started to move just like that. A being that moved without hesitation, without remorse. He had, for all intents and purposes, become a mindless machine that carried out- _wait_…

Loki looked up at the ceiling and frowned.

That was it! _Mind control_…

He sat up again, leaning forward as he looked over the image on his computer screen. Could that be it?

This man was an agent of HYDRA. He was the guy that they sent out to do all their dirty work for them. A supposedly willing slave that carried out their orders without question. Without remorse.

Would HYDRA be above mind control? Certainly not, they would love to use such a trick. And… There was also the way he hadn't even responded to Loki's taunts. If Loki was right then... that was brilliant, that was _useful_! He could win without having to harm the stupid human.

If the man was under some kind of mind control, then all Loki had to do was to _break _Hydra's hold on the man's mind. But how…?

Loki turned his head, looking at the 'sleep stick' laying innocently on his table. That... might work. Its' functions were rather straightforward after all. It turned off the nervous system of the brain for a moment, causing them to fall unconscious without causing damage.

Basically, it acted like a jump-start for the brain.

Loki picked up the 'pen,' carefully weighing it in his hand. Perhaps, with a few modifications, it could cause more than just a minor 'reboot.'

Well… It was, at the very least, worth a try.

What's the worst that could happen?

Other than, you know, causing his death…

* * *

_This chapter has been edited by_ _Arei-The Peridot Dragon_


	15. Going vigilanty

As Loki had finally turned his eyes to what was happening in the here and now, he found himself suitably amazed at the chaos he had born through his actions.

He had really done it. Magicless as he was, he had once more made a tiny little snowball and send it rolling down the hill. The result was the metaphorical avalanche right in front of him on the news. Steve Rogers had been as busy as S.H.I.E.L.D. itself, being kind enough to keep Loki's little brain-washed Assasin occupied. He had also somehow managing to get files on _all _of the currently active Hydra agents who had not only infiltrated S.H.I.E.L.D., but also the American government itself. Their faces and names were displayed on the national channels, warning the public at large to be wary and to report sightings to the proper authorities.

Loki couldn't stop himself even if he'd wanted to. He went to find one of the highest rooftops in the city, that he had access to, all so that he could sit down on the ledge and peer over the city. So he could watch from on high all of the chaos raging in front of him. Knowing this was the result of his gentle blowing on a weakly built house of cards… why, it filled him once more with joy. He truly was still the god of Mischief, Lies, and Chaos.

Even in mortal form, with his magic and strength stripped from him, Loki was still capable of creating such beautiful havoc as what was going on far below him.

It was... nice. Sitting on high once again, looking down to see the masses, Humans, in this case, running around like a disturbed ants nest. It was almost nostalgic, seeing the results of his handiwork. Witnessing the fall of fools.

A rather massive boom caught his attention, and he looked up. Loki smirked. Several large helicarriers were being blown up and falling from the skies above the city to land in the nearby waters. Even such destruction was a marvel to behold. A spectacle greater than any fireworks show. Truly beautiful. He frowned a moment later and looked up at the clearing sky.

The biggest question now, was why wasn't Loki hearing Heimdal's booming voice inside his skull? There was nothing but the silence of his own mind. Did Heimdal not acknowledge him as the Creator of this beautiful Chaos made manifest? Had he not been concerned about Human lives lost due to his actions?

That was kind of sad. Insulting, in fact. It was Loki's own actions that had opened this particular can of worms. Then again, it was possible that this level of havoc, or something similar, was going to happen sooner or later anyway. It would explain why Heimdal was staying quiet about it all. Loki had to admit, _if _that was the case, then all Loki had really done was push the time-table of events forward ahead of schedule.

Still, even despite that, it felt nice to be reminded that he still had such power even as he was. He was, and always would be, the god of Mischief. That could not be taken away from him as easily as his magic and strength.

Loki stood up as the last helicarrier fell into the waters below. If he desired to act, then it had to be now while the iron was hot, or he would lose his opportunity. It was a good thing that he'd already gotten dressed in an appropriate outfit. He was dressed in an all-black outfit. And that did mean _all _black from head to toe. Shirt, pants, boots, socks, gloves, necktie. All of it black as night.

His face was covered by a mask that was designed to look like a raven. Loki had found the mask by accident in a shop and had found it amusing. It would work as well as any other mask, really. He just needed to keep his face hidden.

Loki had heard of another figure also running around in black clothes, in a place called Hell's Kitchen. It was located in another part of New York. A much cheaper, _dirtier _part where only scum and gangs lived. Heh, it would only work more in Loki's favor if people believed _he _was this 'devil of Hell's Kitchen.' They would be too busy blaming the 'Devil,' and wouldn't bother looking around for a 'new player' in the 'hero' game.

Loki took a deep breath and let it out slowly. His strength had been reduced to match that of a Midgardian, but he _was _still stronger than the average Human. He had made sure to test that during his early days stuck planetside.

His fighting techniques, however? Those he had practiced for hundreds of years, and muscle memory was not so easily taken away. Even if his mind was somehow wiped, said muscle memory would still persist. He'd seen that reality confirmed time and again for Midgardians and Asgardians alike who had sustained head injuries bad enough to disrupt one's memory.

Just then, he was remembering times in the past. In his youth. Times where he would trek across Midgard and other worlds, climbing their mountains, jumping over cliffs, scaling to the tallest of trees. The sense of pure _freedom _he hadback then had been wonderous. He had been free to walk on Midgard and amuse himself in whatever way he might desire.

Loki chuckled and took a few steps back. He then took a running start to run and jump across the wide gap between the two buildings, only to land safely on the other rooftop. A wild rush of adrenaline pulsed through his body as he dashed from roof to roof, it felt so good… He nearly forgot he wasn't free and wasn't under constant observation.

Even then, though…

_You're watching, aren't you, Heimdal? Are you allowing Thor a peak of what I am up to? Letting the others to see just how little I need you?_ he thought to himself with a sneer. _See what I can do when it's just me. When you idiots are not there to hold me back._

Finally, he reached his destination; S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters. People were fighting everywhere. HYDRA agents were scrambling about the building, trying to destroy any and all evidence of their plans while S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, in turn, were trying to stop them from doing just that. Since everyone was wearing S.H.I.E.L.D. uniforms, though, it was a giant mess. No one could know for sure who they could or couldn't trust.

Fortunately for Loki, he thought that both groups could rot for all he cared, only two things concerned him now.

_Where did they put my staff?_ he thought to himself with a frown. _And where is my little robot-armed assassin, I need to have a word with him._

With all the commotion going on, as Loki jumped down with sleep stick in hand, barely anyone noticed him. They were all too busy with their own problems. This allowed Loki to fairly dance across and through the building. Anyone who attacked him was swiftly and expertly dodged before he poked them on the forehead with his little pen. He left a trail of slumbering forms behind him. Finally, Loki found and gained access to a nice big computer room that had no outside internet access. A storage room of information. What he needed _had _to be in here somewhere.

Whistling a little tune, Loki found his USB and plugged it and his laptop into the nearest USB ports. He casually looked over a few files before simply setting the computer to download _all _files within to his new terabyte USB for later review. After he had started the download, footsteps sounded from behind Loki. He set his computer down and turned around to see just the man he'd wanted to find.

A man with brown greased hair, his left arm shining silver, _artificial_, and guns hanging from his belt. This time, his goggles and mask were gone, exposing his face for anyone to see.

Yeah, he didn't look so good either.

Loki's little assassin friend had been beaten up good, that was for sure. The 'Winter Soldier' was sporting a large black-eye, a split bottom lip, a massive black-blue bruise on his cheek, dried blood on his scalp and forehead that looked like it came from a head wound, and much more. Loki looked over the rest of his body and would have winced in sympathy. If he'd had any sympathy to spare, that is.

'Mess' didn't even begin to cover the man's physical state of being just then.

"Oh, my," Loki turned to face his assassin friend fully. "Seems like Captain Rogers was kind enough to do all the dirty work for me. How kind of him."

The eyes looking at Loki were glazed over. The man hardly looked aware even now. He was likely running on pure instinct at this point. On the last orders he'd been given.

"I actually sympathies with you," Loki admitted in a soft voice. "You've been a slave for a very long time now, haven't you? Brain-washed for a single purpose; to do the will of others. It truly is a sad thing. Fear not, though. I am here to set you free."

The soldier stared at him for a moment, head tilting to the side like a curious dog. Nary a second later, though, the soldier attacked, and Loki stepped aside to avoid the blow aimed for his head. He smoothly dodged another blow and jumped up onto the nearby table. Oh yes, the man was so much slower now that he'd been injured by the good Captain.

"That's not a nice way to thank your savior, you know," Loki said, and he smirked at the other man. "Oh well. I suppose it's not your fault, is it? When your mind isn't even your own, then you just act the way you're told to. You can thank me later."

After voicing that little assurance, Loki jumped forward. They danced together, a close combat brawl of fists and kicks. Given the fact that Loki was all healed up while his little assassin was injured, Loki was steadily gaining ground as they fought. Finally, Loki had the opening he'd been waiting for, deflecting a sloppy one-two punch to force the man's arms out wide. He then reached up with the 'pen' and tapped it again's the man's forehead with a smirk.

"Gotcha!" Loki crowed victoriously.

The man's eyes widened in both shock and confusion, the first real emotion that Loki'd seen from him. The electrical charge jumped forth, and Loki saw it as it happened. Saw the haze clear from man's eyes. But it was only for a moment, as the man's eyes rolled backward in his head, and he fell down on the floor, limp as all of the other's hit by Loki's little device.

Loki let out a soft sigh. He stepped over the man's form and checked his laptop. Grinning, he pulled out the USB, now filled with data, and turned to the limp figure as he tucked away both pieces of technology.

"Now, as the Midgardian's say, _this _is going to suck," he admitted before he bent down to pick up his new friend. He slung the other dark-haired man over his shoulder and started to head. "Come on then, out the back door for us. I bet that if we dig deep enough, that head of yours will have information enough for me to use!"

* * *

Edited by Arei-The Peridot Dragon


	16. New pet

Often when you play as a particular character-type, props and settings are just as important as the costume and actor. And so, Loki had created a set for his next little performance.

The place he lived in had been quite spartan in terms of furniture and the like. More like a workspace than a 'home.' For the occasion, though, he had bothered to furnish it more before he'd left on his little mission. To make his 'character' more believable.

He'd bought a comfortable couch, and a dark brown wooden table sat in front of the TV. Old vinyl records of the Beatles and other singers hung on the wall as if they were priceless art pieces. He'd seen it in a magazine and knew that the mid- to -older generations held onto such things like dragons protecting their horde. Books from various authors had been picked up at the nearby flee marked, but they were just there to fill up the bookshelf he'd gotten. He had no idea what half of them were about, but placing the titles on display made it seemed like they had special meaning to him.

Upon arriving home, he had placed his assassin friend on the bed in his bedroom. Said bedroom had also been made to look as friendly and welcoming as possible. Ideally, it would help the man form a good first impression of Loki as he woke up. Hence why he had to make it look as genuine as possible.

There was a wooden armoire, filled to the brim with clean clothes of good quality. More books on another, smaller shelving unit, and a wall painting depicting a forest in calm dark green colors. All very calming, soothing things to look upon.

Loki himself was wearing a pair of brown pants and a brown waistcoat that was buttoned up over a soft, cream-colored shirt. The glasses from earlier were in place, resting on the bridge of his nose. His hair was neat and clean but had a slightly ruffled look to it to convey a relaxed air about him.

'Robert Johnson' was ready for his guest. All he lacked now… was his guest. The assassin still hadn't woken up yet. Loki sighed and went to pick one of the random books he had bought and sat down to read. Patience was the key here, no matter how much he wanted to 'get on with the show,' so to speak.

Loki was sitting on the couch hours later in the living room, casually reading said book when he heard it… someone was stirring in the bedroom.

_Good… he's waking up, _Loki thought with a smirk as he turned to the next page. _Now then, time to let him come to me. Give him the chance to feel like _**_he _**_is the one surprising _**_me_**_._

It took several minutes before his assassin friend actually came out to the living room. Loki could clearly hear his guest examining the bedroom, warily shifting things about as if looking for clues as to where he was. The other man wouldn't find anything in there though. Well, nothing other than books, clothes, fresh sheets, and so forth.

The man finally stepped into the living room, though Loki could not see him, only hear him as he moved about. Loki had deliberately left his back open to his assassin friend. If the first thing his guest saw was his back, then it was likely that he would feel safe and in control of the situation.

A surprisingly hesitant voice spoke up a moment later, "Um... excuse me?"

Loki made a good show out of jumping and dropping his book as if startled.

"Ah!" wide-eyed and making a good show of being surprised, Loki turned around. "You're awake! Ah, excuse me, I didn't realize you were up. I would have checked on you if I'd known."

Loki stood up and took a small step toward the other man. He paused and frowned as if in concern as he looked the assassin over.

"Do you need anything? You really shouldn't be up yet," Loki said in a worried voice. "I can get you some water? Or maybe some food? How is your face, does it still hurt?"

His assassin friend looked at him in both confusion, and no small amount of surprise as Loki spoke. He lifted a hand to his cheek, where Loki had applied a bandage.

"I.. I'm doing okay, actually," he breathed slowly. He winced in pain as he met Loki's gaze. He looked away and held his head, letting out a low groan of agony. "What… What happened to me? Why...? Oh god, my head hurts so much right now."

"You need to sit down!" Loki pulled a chair forward and helped guide his guest over to it. "Just relax, alright? I'll get you some water."

As his guest sat down, Loki walked over to the kitchen. Thankfully it was an open kitchen build, so he still had a clear view of his guest and what said guest was doing.

"How about some tea as well?" he offered in a slightly louder voice. "That always helps me relax whenever I have a headache. Is chamomile alright?"

"Yeah… That's fine," Loki's guest groaned again, rubbing at his head. "I.. I'm sorry if this sounds odd but, who are you?"

"Me? My name's Robert Johnson," Loki called back over his shoulder as he readied a glass of water and then filled the electric kettle with water. "And you are?"

He fell silent, eagerly awaiting a response to the simple-seeming question.

_This is it, _Loki thought with a mental grin. _Give me your name, my foolish little assassin. Who _**_are _**_you?_

"I'm… my name... is James," he said his name slowly as if trying it out after a long time of not hearing it. "James Buchanan Barnes. My... my friends... my friends call me 'Bucky.'"

Loki smirked as he turned on the electric kettle. Bingo. A name might not seem like much, but with the access that Loki had to the internet? It was all that he needed.

_I have you talking, and I now know your name, _Loki thought with a mental sneer._ You're mine now, James Buchanan Barnes, whether you realize it or not._

Ten minutes later, Loki came with a tray that had tea for them both, water, and some salty crackers. Even he knew not to offer too much in the way of food just then. It was likely that the man's headache would prevent him from stomaching anything more than light meals. He put the tray on the table and sat back down on the couch as he looked his guest over. Bucky was still groaning and had started mumbling softly to himself as he held his head.

"Are you feeling alright?" Loki asked, showing an innocent air of concern for the other man.

"I.. I'm not sure. My mind is kinda... floaty? It's like... It's like I've woken up from a nightmare, but it keeps coming back to me again and again now that I'm awake. It feels so real, and it's hard to figure out what's real and what isn't now that I'm awake," he sighed and looked up at Loki with a small frown. "How… Can you tell me how I got here? Or where 'here' even is. Or who you are? Everything feels... off."

Loki looked back at him with a pensive frown. He picked up one of the cups of tea and sipped it before he spoke.

"I brought you here," he admitted in a gentle tone.

Bucky frowned at him, blinking rapidly in confusion.

"Why?" he asked.

"I don't like slavery," Loki replied with a small shrug, "and to put it simply, Hydra was keeping you as a slave. Am I correct?"

A wide-eyed Bucky looked at him and then nodded. His eyes were flicking back and forth like he saw something that wasn't there. Memories

"You were… sent to kill me," Loki said slowly, keeping his voice gentle and kind. "Do you remember that?"

Bucky's eyes widened in shock, his face going pale.

"Kill... you? Why would I... You... I was sent to kill...? But you're not a..." he hissed abruptly, eyes going wide and flickering about a little more wildly than before. Loki stayed quiet, knowing the other man was trying to sort through his memories. "Steve?! How was he... wait. No... before that. A... leak? They wanted me to terminate the leak. You... You're the leak, right?"

Loki nodded and set down his cup of tea.

"I am. It… It was an accident, though," Loki informed the other man, using a sheepish tone now. "I... I found out that HYDRA had infiltrated S.H.I.E.L.D... On a rather frightening level, no less. I tried to warn S.H.I.E.L.D. about the depths of their infiltration, but HYDRA kept intercepting the information before it could go too far."

Bucky looked at Loki askance and then snorted softly. He shook his head, eyes glinting with a small amount of mirth. It was the most emotion that Loki had ever seen from the man. The difference was intriguing and quite possibly useful. If the man was a naturally open individual, then Loki could use that to his advantage.

"You are not very good at delivering information. Not a single piece made it to S.H.I.E.L.D. higher-ups…" Bucky frowned and tilted his head as if in thought, "at least... not before you told Steve directly? I think I remember that right."

"Yeah…" Loki glanced down and chuckled ruefully. "I am not precisely an _agent _myself. I just happened to stumble upon the information and thought I would do the right thing."

Bucky focused back on him again, his eyes growing soft and gentle. Even the smile he offered was sickeningly reassuring.

"You _did_. The right thing that is," Bucky assured Loki adamantly. His face turned pensive a moment later, his eyes again doing that odd flickering about thing. He rubbed at his forehead and let out a small grunt. "But you're... you're in danger now. Those Hydra agents, the ones not captured in the fallout, they'll want to kill you. By... by any means necessary. Oh... that's not good."

Loki looked up, twisting his face to look shocked. Fearful.

"But… They're gone now, right?" Loki asked in a semi-frantic tone as if doubting his new 'friend's' words. "It was on the news! Captain America defeated them!"

"HYDRA is a large _global _organization. Right now, they are scattered, yes, but fractions would still remain even if the main 'head' of the organization is cut off. It's why they _call _themselves Hydra in the first place!" Bucky stated. His voice was urgent. His eyes were honest and desperate. "Listen... it's going to be okay. I owe you big time, Robert. I'll make sure you're safe from them, I swear. No matter what, they won't take you."

Oh, this was going even better than Loki could possibly have imagined it to! The man, the _real _Bucky sitting in front of him, he was one of those Humans with a bleeding heart! Such people were very, _very _easy to manipulate. Give them a cause that they could believe in, and why, they would even martyr themselves for the 'cause'. Foolish, but the man was still an incredibly skilled soldier in so many ways.

_Oh, what a lovely pet I've found,_ Loki thought to himself with another mental smirk. _Dear Bucky here will make _**_perfect _**_bodyguard. Going after him was absolutely worth it!_

Loki kept his shocked mask in place for a moment before shifting to one that looked thoughtful and contemplative. He nodded his head a few moments later. It wouldn't do to seem too eager to accept Bucky's 'help.'

"Yes, I… I see what you mean," he said carefully. He sighed and smiled gratefully at the other man. "Thank you for that. Bucky, I.. I'm sorry, these past few days has been pretty overwhelming for me. With you here to protect me, I feel a bit safer about things."

He held his own forehead, tucking his head down as if he was developing his own headache, and allowed his lips to twist in a gleeful smirk. Bucky voiced a small, uncomfortable 'you're welcome', before looking around the room. It was kind of the man, giving Loki time to 'come to terms' with things. Loki took a moment to indulge himself in his success before twisting his face back into its' prior, worried expression. When he met Bucky's gaze, he saw that the man's eyes were filled with pain.

"No… I _wish _I could protect you," Bucky swallowed, and he tapped at his forehead a moment later. "But... I can't promise that. HYDRA still has ways to get inside my mind. I remember that. A phrase. Words... I can't remember exactly, but if they find me and can say them then... I won't be me anymore. I'll... be their _slave _again."

He spat out the word 'slave' and looked to the side, hanging his head in shame. Loki nodded to himself. A trigger word, perhaps even an entire sentence or series of phrases, would likely reestablish their hold on the other man. Interesting… If Loki could _learn _those words himself... Oh, the possibilities.

"But don't worry! I won't leave until I know you're safe," Bucky stated firmly. "It's the least I can do and… I think... I know someone who can help... since he's still alive. He's a friend and... well, I'm sure he can keep you safe."

"Oh?" Loki asked with a raised brow. Bucky seemed to be a bit confused as he spoke. It was as if he _knew _his friend was alive but was having trouble _believing _it now that his mind was his own again.

"You… You know about Steve Rogers, right? You called him Captain America earlier," Bucky started eagerly. "I'm not entirely sure _how _he can be alive, here and... you know, still so young! But he _is_, and that's what matters. If we can get you to him, then there's no way he'll let any harm come to you on his watch!"

Steve Rogers? This guy _knew Steve Rogers_?! And he was going to put in a _good word_ for Loki?

_Oh, this is interesting! _Loki thought to himself._ This is _**_very _**_interesting! Please, James 'Bucky' Barnes, do introduce me to the good Captain. One of Earth's mightiest heroes. In my debt for helping you, his _**_friend_**_? That sounds… absolutely wonderful._

Loki gave Bucky a small nod and a nervous smile.

"Thank you… I… I'll appreciate it."

"It's going to be okay!" Bucky assured. "I'll make sure of it!"

Oh yes… I have no doubt, Bucky. Things are indeed going to be just _fine_.

* * *

_This chapter has been edited by Arei-The Peridot Dragon_


	17. Times past

Loki allowed Bucky to take the lead as they left his place. Honestly, as long as Bucky remained convinced that Loki was just an ordinary person way in over his head, then the man would remain protective of his new 'friend.' Bucky had asked if Loki had any hoodies so that they could travel with their faces covered. Loki was able to quickly acquire the requested garments, creating the perfect illusion. The two of them now looked no different than any of the others walking around with their hoods up, even though Bucky was a hardened soldier protecting a supposed civilian.

After Bucky had approved of the new outfits, he turned an earnest expression on Loki and frowned at the single bag that 'Robert' had grabbed.

"You have _everything _you need, right?" he asked in a concerned tone. At Loki's raised eyebrow, Bucky held up his hands. "I'm sorry if I am being pushy, but I can't guarantee that you'll ever be able to come back here once we leave."

Loki made a show of swallowing as if nervous before he lifted the backpack over his shoulder. He shifted his stance as if gathering up the reigns of his courage and then nodded resolutely at the other man.

"Okay. If you're sure, then let's go," Bucky said, lifting his hood over his face. Loki did the same a moment later, and they casually left the apartment behind.

Together they made their way across New York itself, heading towards the park. Loki had done a bit of research and found that Steve usually ran around the lake every morning without fail. Well, the man _had _stopped for a time, at least during the Hydra incident when he'd been too busy. Since then, he had restarted his little daily routine. Bucky himself had gone out a day before to confirm Loki's findings and make _sure _that Steve had indeed resumed his usual exercise habit. When Bucky had returned, Loki had been both smug and amusingly surprised as Steve was no longer _alone _during his runs. The 'good Captain' had acquired a work out buddy, and the pair would meet every morning to run laps around the lake.

Bucky had caught a name during his outing, Sam Wilson.

From what the other man told Loki, said workout session was a little on the pitiful side. Wilson would run at a steady pace, which was rather quick for a Human given Bucky's opinion. And yet by the time Wilson had completed a single lap around the lake, Rogers would have overtaken him several times, greeting the other man with a jaunty 'on your left' every time he passed him. After their morning run was over, they would then sit down on a bench facing the lake and exchange what looked like notes.

Bucky hadn't risked getting closer the day before, but now that they were approaching the pair, Loki could hear them saying things that led him to believe that Wilson teaching Rogers about modern pop culture. Rogers, in turn, was showing Wilson that he had done the previous day's 'homework.' Apparently, each day Wilson would give Rodgers a new song or movie to go see or listen to.

_How... domestic of them, _Loki thought to himself with a mental sneer. He glanced over at his new companion and almost sighed aloud in annoyance. Bucky's eyes were filled with an unmistakable sadness as he eyed the pair sitting on the bench.

Loki's own eyes were filled mostly with that of indifference... and calculation. Rogers' new friend was one more person that he would have to keep tabs on while he played his role of 'Robert.' Hopefully, this 'Sam' would turn out to be useful to him in some form.

Rogers suddenly seemed to notice he and his friend were being watched. His body tensed, and he turned to look directly at them. As he eyed them warily, Bucky reached up and pushed back his hood, revealing his face in the process.

Rogers' eyes widened, his expression shifting to one of utter shock. For a moment, Wilson stared in confusion at his companion before he too looked in their direction. Like the Captain, he gaped at them in shock before turning his attention back to Rogers, muttering something that Loki was too far away to hear. Rogers shook his head, replying just as softly before lifting a hand and gesturing for Wilson to stay put.

Steve stood up slowly, then he started walking towards Bucky and Loki at a sedate pace. Steve eyed Loki warily for a moment as he approached, but dismissed him and turned his focus back to Bucky. Bucky himself remained stock still, though Loki could feel his body tensing as the other man approached. By the time Rodgers' was only a few paces away and came to a halt, Loki's companion was nearly shaking in his boots.

Steve stared at the dark-haired man in front of him, ignoring Loki in favor of taking in the other man's haggard appearance. He raised a shaking hand hesitantly. Hopefully.

"Bucky?" he asked in a strained voice. "Bucky is that you...?"

Bucky's entire body was shaking at this point. He opened and closed his mouth several times, his own hand raising in a kind of feeble manner. His voice broke as he finally managed to utter a single word.

"_Steve_."

Steve Rodgers' eyes widened and started to glisten. Tears began to trail freely down Bucky's face. Steve abruptly leaped forward to pull Bucky into a bear-hug, teardrops leaving a trail on his own face in turn.

"BUCKY! I... You..." he let go of the other man for a moment only to grab hold of Bucky's face and rest his forehead against the other man's. He was looking at the man like he was a dream that would fade at any moment. "I can't believe it! I _knew _it was you! I tried to call out to you to get your attention, but it was like you couldn't hear me."

"I… I heard you," Bucky said, swallowing roughly. His expression twisted to one of guilt. "I'm so sorry, Steve, I really am. I'm sorry. I couldn't stop..."

"No, no. It's okay, pal," Steve smiled warmly and drew Bucky back into another bear-hug. "It's _okay_. I'm just so glad to see you. That you're alive..."

As Loki watched them, weird images began to flash through his head. Images that made this all seem so familiar to him... ah. Now he remembered. It was several hundred years ago now that it happened.

_Loki and Thor had ventured to Kronan to see if they could beat up some 'rock monsters.' Well, _Thor _had thought that. Loki had thought of a grand trick to play, he had _intended _to lure Thor into what was obviously a trap and would then later rescue his Brother, bent on taunting him all the while for being a muscle-headed fool. _

_Events conspired against Loki, though. He had been overconfident and thus fallen to his own hubris. The Kronan's had figured out his plans when he had separated from Thor to lay his trap. Laughing all the while, they had caught him and locked him away in one of their prison cells. They had even refused him food to teach him a 'lesson in humility.' Fools. It might have taken him some time, but he had still escaped from the cell and made his way out. Once he had reached the wasteland, he had found Thor... still searching desperately for Loki._

_When he caught sight of him, Thor had gasped and let out a shout. Without any hesitation at all, he had run toward Loki as fast as he could, grabbing Loki up and pulling him into a tight hug. _

_"LOKI!" Thor had cried out as he hugged his Brother to him. "I… I am sorry! I allowed them to take you! Forgive me my foolishness!"_

_Loki frowned, confused. _Loki _had been the one who went astray. _Loki's _own ineptitude had been the 'why' behind his capture. It was hardly _Thor's _doing. Did his Brother really think that Loki was some sort of defenseless imbecile? Honestly. _

"_It's okay," Loki sighed, more than a little impatient as he patted at Thor's back. "I'm... glad to see you too." _

_His admission was strained, but true. With Thor, he was safe and free to make his escape from this miserable planet. Thor beamed at him through the tears, blue eyes glistening. He had then put his hand on the back of Loki's head, pulling him forward so that he could press his forehead against Loki's as he would sometimes do. It was a sign of affection. _

_"I am so glad that you are safe... Loki."_

A small commotion pulled Loki from his thoughts, and he looked forward to see that Bucky had firmly grabbed onto Rogers' shoulders and had shaken him from his relieved state.

"Steve, I'm sorry to cut this short," Bucky said, catching the other man's eyes with a determined gaze. "I can't stay. Hydra has ways to control me if they catch up to me. I need to go, alright?"

"Then you _have _to stay," Steve replied back, his tone fiercely protective. "I can protect you from them if they're a threat. We can figure this out together!"

"_Please, _Steve, I'm asking you; let me figure this out myself," Bucky said just as firmly. "Look, I swear, _if _I need help, then I'll contact you, okay? Give me your cell phone number, and I can call you that way."

"Oh. Right," Steve said as his eyes widened. He'd forgotten about that.

"I _need _to try to do this on my own, Steve," Bucky said softly. "But, and I _know _this is a lot to ask… I-I need a favor from you in the meantime."

"I'm listening," Steve nodded gravely, his attention focused earnestly on his friend.

Bucky stepped to the side, pulling Loki forward and fully revealing him to Steve. He patted Loki's shoulder as he turned back to the other man.

"Steve, this is Robert," he said in the way of an introduction.

Steve blinked and looked at Loki with a raised brow. Loki slowly lifted his head, shifting the hood back enough to show his face. He offered the other man a shaky smile and then glanced around nervously to maintain his 'role' as a man in over his head.

"Robert was the leak," Bucky said. When Steve raised a brow, Bucky was quick to clarify his statement. "The leak that revealed HYDRA to S.H.I.E.L.D.. He's not safe at his place anymore. He's been in danger since they sent... _me_... after him."

Steve nodded gravely as Bucky explained the situation.

"I see. He needs protection. It's okay, I got it," he said, giving them both a reassuring smile. Bucky held up a hand.

"There are still active traces of HYDRA within S.H.I.E.L.D.," Bucky pointed out firmly, "you _can't _hand him over to S.H.I.E.L.D. and expect him to be safe."

"I know," Steve replied, his smile fading and his expression darkening somewhat. "Thankfully, I'm part of a different group. We can act _outside _of S.H.I.E.L.D. itself."

Bucky smiled, his stance relaxing once more.

"I've heard about the Avengers," he admitted with a soft chuckle. "To think Howard's runt would grow into such a..."

"Oh, you don't even know the half of it," Steve sighed deeply, and Loki almost laughed. "Tony's a good guy underneath it all though. You can trust him to watch over Robert when I'm not available."

Bucky nodded at that and then placed a hand on Loki's shoulder.

"Robert saved my life. My _mind_," he revealed to the other man. "He's the one who pulled me out … I think I was hit in the head or something, because I blacked out while... um, trying to 'neutralize' him."

Bucky and Steve both winced and glanced at Loki, who shrugged and affected a grimace himself. He didn't want them finding out _how _he had helped his cyborg friend. Not just yet at any rate. Bucky turned back to Steve and continued.

"When I woke up at Robert's place, my mind was my own again. I.. I could think for _myself _again," he sighed and rubbed at his head. "I'm sorry that I can't be clearer about what happened. Everything is still a bit fuzzy. Um... does anyone amongst the Avengers wear a... a raven or a crow mask?"

Steve blinked at the question and then shook his head in the negative.

"This… would be the first that _I've _heard of it if we do," Steve admitted.

"Right. Okay then," Bucky smiled weakly and then turned to look at Loki. He placed a hand on his shoulder, companionably. "Robert, this will be goodbye for now while I figure things out. Don't worry about things, though, alright? You can trust Steve!"

Slowly, Loki nodded his head as if he were still somewhat wary but, more at ease than he had been.

"Yeah, you're right. I think I can trust_ the _Captain America," he said with a weak chuckle. He then turned to Steve and offered him his hand. "Hello, sir, the name's Robert Johnson."

For a moment, Steve stood still as he locked gazes with Loki. Loki blinked as if confused and tilted his head.

"Um, Sir?" he asked. The Captain's eyes... he looked confused as if he were trying to solve a puzzle put in front of him.

_What is this? _Loki thought to himself warily. _Has the good old Captain figured something out?_

"Those eyes..." Rogers said finally, his tone hesitant. "That's... um… That's an unusual color of green, isn't it?"

Loki remained quiet for a half a second but pushed up his glasses a little further up his nose as if amused. Which he was.

"Yes, I suppose so," he said in a friendly tone. "Green eyes by their very nature are a mutation of the usual blue. It's curious, but not terribly so. My grandmother had them too. I like to think of it as a rare but pretty family trait."

Steve blinked at him a moment before his face finally warmed up. His smile seemed very genuine as he finally reached out and grabbed Loki's hand in a friendly but firm handshake.

"Well, may I say that I am pleased to meet you, Mr. Johnson," he said in a kindly tone. "I have to say, I owe you one. More than you can imagine, really. I give you my word, you will be safe with the Avengers."

"Thank you, Captain America," Loki replied as they shook hands. He let go and shifted the pack on his shoulder.

"Please, it's just Steve," said man said with a chuckle.

"Robert then," Loki smirked. He let his eyes glimmer with kindly amusement, but only for a moment as Rogers had turned back to Bucky almost immediately.

The pair began the process of saying their goodbyes, the eyes of both men going misty once more. Loki tuned them out and took a moment to take stock of the situation. That had been an excellent, formal introduction. His foot was now inside the door, so to speak, and everything was going smoothly. He chuckled softly to himself.

_Time just sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride, _Loki thought smugly.

* * *

This chapter has been edited by Arei-The Peridot Dragon


	18. Science bros!

Later on, after Loki had been led inside the 'Avengers Tower,' Tony stood staring at Steve. His brown eyes were narrowed on the man in a sharp-looking gaze, and a frown marred his lips. Steve looked right back at the other man. His own blue eyes, in turn, were steady, calm, and somewhat stern. The two men were just standing there, locked in a starring match of wills and determination. It was as if they were measuring each other. Testing each other on how serious they were about their respective viewpoints.

"So… Let me make sure I understand this. You want _me_," Tony began, pointing one finger at himself before waving his hand almost dismissively in Loki's direction. "To help keep _this _guy safe. But _I_ won't get anything out of it. It's just a favor… to you?"

Steve nodded in agreement, his face serious.

"That right," he answered, before sighing softly. "Tony, you know I wouldn't ask you for something like this if it wasn't serious. You know what happened with HYDRA by now, right?"

"Yup," Tony said, rolling the 'p' into a loud pop sound even as he grinned in triumph and waggled a finger at Steve. "I was right. I told you that S.H.I.E.L.D. was full of shit, now, didn't I?"

Steve sighed deeply as if he was mildly perturbed by Tony's childish antics.

"Yes… Yes, you did," Steve admitted and shook his head. "Happy?"

Loki hadn't spoken up as of yet as the two talked. He'd elected to keep himself in the background and wait for the two to finish their discussion. It was hard not to jump in, though! Very hard.

Loki so _badly _wanted to step forward and join the conversation. To call Tony by the name 'Anthony' to start off with. Maybe a few other names too. He didn't know precisely what it was about the man. It was rather easy to play the role of a well-meant idiot in front of the Captain, Bucky, and Sam, but Tony Stark? The Man of Iron? Oh, how he wanted to talk down to him. There was just something about him that invited the thought of poking and prodding at the man's mind. Maybe a prank or two-

_NO!_ Loki mentally shook himself. _Contain your urges Loki. You need him to think that you are a total stranger. To make him feel like he owes you a debt just like the good Captain. Acting like yourself would clue the fool in on who you are. Don't say a word. Stay quiet. Just stay quiet. _

"Of course!" Tony said smugly. "I was right. I'm _always _happy about being right."

Oh, but that was _such _a good opening to sass the other man. _Why _was this so hard?

"But see, it's _because _I can't trust S.H.I.E.L.D. that I have to go to you for this," Steve informed the other man in a severe tone. "Robert here? He was the one who revealed to us that HYDRA had infiltrated S.H.I.E.L.D. itself to such a degree. He's in danger, Tony, and we need your help."

Tony frowned and then turned at Loki.

"You're the leak?" he asked with a flick of his fingers. "Alright, so, what are you then? An ex-HYDRA agent that defected or something?"

His eyes were narrowed and filled with open distrust. Clearly, he wasn't going to believe Loki that easily, even if Steve had given 'Robert' the good word. Tony was the smartest one yet when it came down to things. Loki had come well prepared, however. He had already 'written' Robert's background, having repeated it to himself over and over so he wouldn't accidentally say something that contradicted his story.

"Not… exactly," Loki began slowly, as if mildly embarrassed. "I'm… a mythologist, actually."

That made both Steve and Tony blink in surprise and confusion.

"Mythologist?!" Tony asked, his hand rising to rub at his face. He pointed at Loki a moment later, his frown back full force. "How in the heck does a _mythologist _get involved in HYDRA stuff?"

"Well, you see, I wouldn't call myself an _ordinary _mythologist," Loki started to explain with a small smile. "When I was a kid, I was on a trip to Norway with my parents and-"

"Look, I don't need your life story," Tony interrupted with a dismissive wave of his hand as he rolled his eyes.

"I'll keep it short, I promise," Loki said, and Tony sighed and waved for him to continue even as he picked up a pen and started clicking it in a bored manner. "Anyway, on this trip, I ran across this strange artifact. It was strange, almost like it was somehow _alive_. The design was similar to that of old Norse craftmanship. But, it seemed so advanced compared to what was believed to be around at the time. That's when I came up with my hypothesis."

He looked away for a moment and then back up at the two listening to his little story. Steve looked like he was swallowing it hook, line and sinker, and even Tony looked more thoughtful than suspicious by this point. Good.

"I thought to myself, 'what if the old gods were real'?" he said, gesturing his hands in an eager motion. "Then I thought, 'What if they aren't gods per se but in fact aliens?' Of course, whenever I tried to share this hypothesis, people called me crazy, but the more I studied it, the more likely it seemed. It was frustrating, trying to keep my findings to myself as I researched all of the world's mythologies and how the various 'gods' might very well be real. And then, two years ago, Earth had a _visitor_."

"Thor..." Tony breathed out, his eyes widening slightly. The annoying 'click-click' of the pen he was holding had finally stopped.

"Correct, it was… a very vindicative experience," Loki continued, feeling quite pleased with himself at having gained the tin-man's full attention. "So much so that I packed up all my stuff and moved to America. I needed to try and get closer to where it all happened. To figure things out. However, the moment that I started seriously prodding and asking questions about what happened, HYDRA contacted me."

At this point, Loki looked to the side and allowed himself to grow teary-eyed. He was delighted when he was able to add in a proper little choked note to his voice.

"I-I... they wanted me to do research for them," he told them in a strained voice. "If I didn't comply then… Sorry, I... I'd rather not say."

At that, Steve looked beyond sympathetic with 'Robert's' plight. Tony, however? The Man of Iron was still frowning Loki's way mistrustfully. Once again, the man's actions were showing that he was the intelligent one of the bunch. Loki had his work cut out for him when it came to the rich-man turned hero. Loki had been careful with his story, though. The made-up background was enough to explain his vast knowledge of old myths _and _would explain his 'eventual' interest in the mind staff.

Getting Stark to reveal its' location to Loki would likely be the trickest, and lengthiest, part of this entire con.

"So… ignoring the rest of your story for a moment, you're a _mythologist_, is that it?" Tony asked, crossing his arms and ignoring Steve's disgruntled look. "So... What can you do for me?"

"I... Pardon?" Loki asked and blinked at the other man in confusion.

"I already hand out a lot of charity," Tony admitted in a rather blasé tone. He spun the pen around in his fingers, randomly clicking it a few times and then jabbed it, point first, in Loki's direction. "I mean, housing you won't affect me, obviously. Money isn't an issue for me."

Steve tried to interject, and Tony pointed the pen in his direction, flashing a look the man's way at the same time. Surprisingly, Steve held up his hands in surrender and sighed.

"Like I was saying," Tony continued, turning his attention back toward Loki. "Money isn't the issue. My question is this; HYDRA thought they had a use for you, why? What makes you so unique that they needed to strong-arm you into helping them?"

"Ah, I see what you mean," Loki nodded to himself and tilted his head. He held out his hand. "Okay, do you have some paper, and may I borrow that pen?"

Tony snorted and clicked the pen again before tossing it off to the side, ignoring Loki's outstretched hand.

"Who needs _paper _nowadays?" he asked rhetorically. Tony lifted a hand, and a moment later, the holographic image of a piece of appeared in front of him. "Seriously, keep up with the times people. Use this."

Loki frowned as he stepped forward, looking at the holographic image. He then lifted a finger and touched the page, drawing his finger downwards. A line followed his finger, and he blinked.

"Oh! I see. How useful," he could literately draw and write using a finger.

He did bend down to pick up the pen that Tony had tossed aside. He glanced at it briefly and saw that it looked like a highly advanced pen. Either way, it would help him keep things tidy as he worked.

"Alright, so when Thor came and subsequently left Earth," Loki started to explain as he began to work on a long series of complicated formulas, "he was using something that he called the 'Bifrost' to go from place to place. This let off a massive surge of energy. I was able to view the energy readings, and I tried to figure out how it might be possible to transport someone from galaxy to galaxy. The answer? The Bifrost transforms matter into light! To do _that_..."

Loki continued talking as he worked on explaining the formulas he was putting onto the holographic 'paper,' which widened as he worked. Said formulas were well known to Loki. To him, this was simply the basics of the ancient magic that he had learned ages ago. Earthlings would call it 'science,' but that didn't matter. What mattered was that it could be _explained_. Though, what was 'simple' for Loki was actually 'highly advanced' to any Midgardian.

As Loki worked, Tony had been stunned into silence. His wide eyes remained glued on the work Loki was doing, and his focus remained firmly locked on Loki. The man was eating up the explanations like a man starved for water. Steve? At first, the good Captain had looked confused and lost. After a few minutes of 'technobabble,' the other man tried to pretend that he was still listening, but Loki knew that the other man was zoning out. What he was explaining went far over the other man's head. Eventually, though, he gave up all pretense of 'listening politely' to Loki and went to sit down in a nearby chair.

Tony pulled himself out of his stunned stupor and started to ask questions. At first, it was like he was trying to trick Loki, thinking that the other man wouldn't be able to accurately answer obscure questions.

Loki recognized what he was trying to do, and answered all questions honestly. Soon enough, Tony's line of questioning became a lot more genuine, if not outright enthusiastic.

"You're actually able to speak my language!" Tony shouted and whooped after a few more minutes of rapid-fire questioning. Steve jumped in his seat and turned toward the two with wide eyes. "Why didn't you just say so from the beginning, Rob? Would have made this whole thing a heck of a lot simpler."

Loki blinked at the other man and tilted his head slightly.

"I'm sorry," he said slowly, "but '_Rob_?'"

"Yeah. Rob," Tony replied with a cocky grin. "Short for Robert. What, don't like it?"

"Please keep it to 'Robert,' if you don't mind," Loki asked in a stiff tone.

"Sure, whatever you say," Tony said with a grin that made Loki want to smack the other man. "_Rob_."

"It's _Robert,_" Loki exclaimed, almost shouted, really, but he was able to calm himself by taking a slow breath.

_Keep calm, _he thought darkly to himself. _Don't snap. Remember, you need the _**_Tin _**_Man to like you. _

Tony grinned unrepentantly at Loki and then leaned forward, getting into Loki's personal space.

"Heh, you know, I honestly wonder, at what point in your life did you sell your soul to the devil to get such a brain?" Tony said in a teasing tone, and he would have tapped Loki on the head had Loki not dodged.

"What on earth are you _talking _about?" Loki asked in annoyance as he swatted at Tony's hand, only to miss in turn as Tony moved away and hit the intercom.

"Hey! Doc! Poke, poke! I need you to come up here, asap big guy! You _have _to see this!" Tony exclaimed jubilantly. He let go of the speaker button before the person on the other end even had a chance to reply.

Loki sighed, feeling profoundly _done _with it all. More people to talk to, to trick and mislead. Just what he needed.

"So erhm.." Steve halted as he tried to parse what was going on and then perked up. "Does this mean you'll take him in?"

"_Duh_! A mind like his? Of course, I will!" Tony rolled his eyes and spun back around to face Loki. "So, Rob! You're hired! I'll send you an employee pamphlet later. Or Pepper will. Whatever. It'll be handled. Welcome to Stark Industries!"

"It's..._Robert_..." Loki said through grit teeth before he sighed and started to massage his temples.

This... was going to be harder than he had first anticipated. He should have figured out a way to remain with Bucky. A single person was easier to manipulate than a group who could get together and point inconsistencies out to each other.

"Yeah, yeah. You know, there's only like… a _handful _of people that I've met over the years who can keep up with me when it comes to tech," Tony admitted with a rueful grin as he turned to Steve. "And out of that handful, only _one_ of them proved not to be a complete asshole. That might change, but I don't know Rob well enough yet to know if he is or isn't an asshole."

"I am assuming that you are counting yourself as that one person?" Loki asked drily as he dropped his hand.

"Oh no, not at all," Tony said with a bark of laughter. "I am a _major _asshole, and I know it. What I am not is pretentious. Okay, well, I might be a _little _pretentious. Okay, maybe a _lot _pretentious. But at least I'm honest about it!"

"I fear to ask you this," Loki admitted slowly, "but who is not a... how did you put it? 'Complete asshole?'."

"Oh, him? He should be on the way down here right now," Tony grinned just as the door started to open. "Hey! Speak of the big green devil! There's the big guy!"

Loki turned his head to see who had entered the room and froze, his eyes going wide with shock and fear. He could feel the blood draining from his face, the tension that spread and sang in his body.

The man standing in the doorway, by all means, looked very ordinary. He appeared to be an average middle-aged human, with short brown hair, a kindly face with glasses perched upon his nose and was wearing a comfortable looking blue shirt and a pair of black pants. The only notable thing was that his expression was... that of a rather tired person.

"Tony," one Bruce Banner sighed out as if he was dealing with an overly rambunctious child. "Just please tell me that you didn't call me here to see some viral youtube video that you want to show me… again."

He stepped fully into the room and then stopped and blinked at the good Captain. Said Captain had stood up from his seat and had turned to face Bruce.

"Oh, hello there, Steve," he said as he broke into a warm smile. "It's so good to see you. No one told me you were here."

"Good to see you too, Doctor Banner," Steve smiled as he stepped forward, firmly taking Bruce's hand in his own and shaking it. "It's a good thing that you're here! You can meet Rober-."

Steve's voice cut out as he turned to look at Loki. Loki remained silent... as he was shaking like a leaf on a windy day and, had it been feasible, he would have pressed himself _through _the wall and into the room beyond. His eyes were wide and unmoving as he looked at Bruce.

"Um... Robert?" Steve asked slowly. "You alright there, buddy?"

All three men stood there as the silence stretched on, and Loki remained unresponsive. He just kept staring at the man who had entered the room. The man who could turn into the Hulk. As if remembering this himself, Bruce's eyes widened in concern and self-recrimination.

"OH!" Bruce exclaimed as he started to back towards the door. "Oh, god! I'm so sorry! I… I should probably leave. I didn't mean to scare you!"

"No, no. Don't go anywhere," Tony said firmly, and he walked right over to Bruce, grabbed his shoulder, and pulled him further into the room. "Look, Robert here just need to calm down and see that you aren't a threat, right? Actually, do you get that kind of reaction often, doc?"

"More often than I like to admit, even with the um... _positive _publicity that I've been getting," Bruce sighed as he allowed himself to be man-handled. "Although that kind of reaction is, in fact, entirely fair. Quite sensible, really, especially when someone has seen the Big Guy in action. It's just... well... to be blunt Tony, you're insane."

"I'll take that as a compliment," Tony replied in a cheerful voice, and he finally let go of Bruce's arm to make his usual, exuberant gestures as he spoke. "I mean really, insanity and genius go hand in hand and-"

It was evident that Bruce had tuned out Tony's little ego-boosting speech in favor of Loki. His eyes were filled with pain, kindness, and understanding.

"Robert, was it?" he asked softly, eyeing Loki carefully. Loki was still shaking like a leaf. He held up his hands in a way that universally meant 'hey, I'm harmless.' "It's alright. Look, I'm not angry at all, see? No green. Everything is under control. Nothing is going to happen."

"Ha, hehe," Loki let out a burst of nervous laughter. He inched himself further away along the wall and froze as his fingertips touched the connecting wall. "It's…. n-nice to meet you, Doctor Ba-Banner."

Loki hissed as he squinted his eyes shut for a moment before opening them again and glaring at the ground. He hated, absolutely _hated _the fact that he was stuttering as it wasn't even on purpose! Bruce smiled gently, seemingly taking his words as an invitation, as he took a step forward. Loki glanced up, eyes wide, and he lifted a hand.

"PLEASE STAY OVER THERE!" Loki shouted, and Bruce halted immediately and even took a step back.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Bruce flustered, his face red with embarrassment, and he rubbed at the back of his neck. "I... didn't mean to make things worse."

"Wait a second," Tony said, his voice serious for once. "Did you _actually _seen the Hulk up close?"

"Erh... um," Loki's voice broke off. He had to think of a good explanation and quickly! He sputtered for a moment before rapidly and loudly exclaiming. "Th-the New York attack! I was… on the... g-ground during the attack!"

Bruce's face shifted to a very sympathetic look, and he took another step back.

"That must have been terrifying," he agreed softly.

"Wow, that's all kind of bad luck," Tony commented. "First caught up with Hydra, then stuck in New York when everything went down?"

"We-Well," Loki swallowed roughly. "I told you earlier that I was interested in the old gods. So… I... I wanted to get closer."

It was a plausible explanation, right? His _character _would do something that foolish…

Right?

"So, you ran straight _into _the attack to have a look?!" Tony asked incredulously before bursting into laughter. "HAHAHAHA! Man, I like you. That's the same kind of stupid bullshit that _I'd _pull!"

"Wait, did you say Hydra?!" Bruce asked wide-eyed, turning to look at the Man of Iron. "Tony, what's going on here? Who is this poor man?"

Loki closed his eyes at the Doctor's words and grit his teeth.

_Do not patronize me, you stupid mortal... just… just shut up,_ he thought to himself. _Better yet, shut up and go to the corner on the other side of the room! I need you far... far away from me, please!_

"This is Rob the Bobbydibob." Tony grinned, putting a firm hand on Loki's shoulder. "He's your new colleague. He's going to work with you on some things!"

"_WHAT?!_" Loki shouted in panic, turning to Tony with wide eyes.

"Erh Tony..." Bruce started, only to halt and let out a soft sigh. "Look, not that I don't appreciate you trying to help, but… I don't think this is a good idea."

"On the contrary, it's an _excellent _idea!" Tony stated firmly. "Bruce, meet Robert Johnson. He's apparently one of Earth's leading experts in alien shit. He's studied things that happened to land on Earth, things that humans back in the day mistook for 'godly' artifacts. He is even smart enough to figure out how some of it actually works! Sciency stuff like us! So yeah, given everything he's showed me, he is a potential member for our 'science bro club!'"

Bruce and Loki both looked at Tony at that last, and Tony pointed a finger in Loki's direction, wagging it at him with a mock-serious expression on his face.

"_That _is not a certainty yet, though. Said club is, of course, _very _exclusive in nature. Not everyone gets to join. Oh. And Rob, buddy?" he patted Loki on the chest with the back of his hand, flashing a grin at him. "Most of the alien shit that landed on Earth? We figured out that those objects have been releasing _massive _amounts of Gamma radiation! And here in front of us, your new work partner no less, is Earth's leading Gamma expert! Doctor Bruce Banner!"

Bruce let out another sigh at Tony's exuberant means of introduction. Loki, in turn, had fallen silent in thought, glancing down before looking back up at Banner. Everything Tony had said about the other man was right. Loki knew that already, as he had read up on him. Banner... was actually rather intelligent.

For a Human.

_Alright, calm down. Relax,_ Loki thought to himself. _Banner, nor the others, know who you really are. And the green beast, this 'Hulk,' seems able to tell friend from foe. So... if I become Banner's friend then... I can become 'Hulk's' friend? _

Loki blinked at the thought and glanced downwards. Could he make the Hulk do his bidding by pretending to be the beasts ally? If Banner trusted him then...

_Don't smirk… _Loki thought to himself, feeling more than a little triumphant._ Whatever you do, don't let them see a smirk! Don't let them know what you're thinking!_

Once he could control his expression, he slowly looked up and met Banner's eyes. Banner looked very sad, apologetic in fact, and also seemed a little scared himself. For a man who contained such great strength within himself, he... looked rather pathetic actually. Loki took a deep breath and dared to take a step away from the wall, a bit further into the room and closer to the other man.

"Doctor Banner, I… apologize for my outburst," he started slowly. "I was just… a little surprised is all."

"That's okay," Banner responded with a smile. "Please, I understand if you… need time to sort through some things. Take whatever time you need."

"So..." Steve started haltingly. "We're… _good_, right?"

Tony nodded firmly, grinning widely.

"Yup, Cap," he said to the other man, "that means we're good."

Loki let out a deep sigh. He couldn't help rest a hand against his forehead. This whole thing had turned into one giant mess, and while this particular interaction ended well, something told him things weren't going to get 'better' anytime soon.

* * *

_This chapter has been edited by Arei-The Peridot Dragon_


	19. Green beast

Loki was, in a word, _exhausted_.

He hadn't even taken the time needed to appreciate the room Tony that had given him to stay in as a 'live-in employee.'

Regardless, it was his room now. He had successfully infiltrated the Avengers tower. It was only that, unlike most other Humans that Loki had the 'pleasure' to meet, the Avengers themselves were proving to be decidedly tiring to be around!

He had to always be on his metaphorical toes, mindful not to say the wrong thing that would clue them in on who he was. Especially so with Tony. The man of iron's mind seemed to be working double-time, _all _the time. The Captain was, of course, the very definition of innocence. Always believing the best in the people around him. _Constantly _encouraging the group to get along as a whole. He reminded Loki the most of Thor, and it was sickening.

And then there was Bruce _Bloody _Banner to add into the entire mix.

Loki let out a groan as he fell down onto his new bed, landing face-first onto one of the plush pillows. He wasn't entirely sure what was the cause of it, but whenever he saw said scientist, images started to flash uncontrollably through Loki's head.

A big green ogre grabbing him by the leg and slamming him into the floor. Over and over again, at full strength no less! Loki had been naught but an insect before the Hulk. Now? If he was found out, well... he had none of his prior power available to him. The same treatment from such a beast would result in his immediate death! Loki shivered, the tremble passing through his entire body.

**_No._**_ Don't think about it, Loki. Don't… Just… Just keep it out of your mind!_ he thought to himself desperately.

But the more Loki tried _not _to think about those events, the more they started to flash before his eyes. He grit his teeth, and tried to meditate, tried to force the thoughts away. After what seemed like forever, as Loki had no idea how long he had been lying there, only that it had started to get dark outside, his body finally started to relax. His mind slowly grew foggy from exhaustion.

_Finally_… he thought to himself with more than a little bit of relief. _At least this stupid near-mortal body is good for _**_something_**_! Grant me peace!_

Loki was ready to slip away into a, hopefully, blissful sleep. He didn't even bother to get up so he could change clothes. Of course, thanks to his _fantastic _luck so far, that was the exact moment the door started to buzz. He had a guest. How wonderful.

Loki groaned in annoyance. What in the _Hel _could anyone want from him right _now _of all times? The door buzzed again, cheerful yet insistent, and Loki growled as he dragged himself up from the bed. He grabbed his fake glasses and put them on as he managed to drag himself to the door.

"I'm coming," he muttered, hitting the button that would open the automatic door.

Only for him to stand face to face with Bruce Banner. In less than a second, all the flashing images from earlier re-entered Loki's head, and he stepped backward.

"Erhm. I… I hope I am not disturbing you," he said sincerely, wincing as Loki's flinched back. "Look, I just… I wanted you to know it's okay. And I thought that maybe, if we could talk for a bit, just you and I, you'll see that too."

Loki remained quiet as he stood there, blinking at the other man.

"I brought beer," Bruce said, flashing him an awkward smile as he hefted up a six-pack of beers.

Loki glanced at the items in his hand. Even _he _could recognize a peace offering when he saw it. Peace offerings of drinks and tasty foods were also a time-honored tradition in Asgard. To deny any such offerings when they were offered was considered a grave insult to the gift-bringer. It was, in fact, extremely rare for an Asgardian would deliberately refuse offerings. Usually, it was only done to humiliate and insult either their enemies or people they considered less than worthy. A way of saying 'You are not even worthy enough for me to take your offerings,' which was one of the worst insults imaginable to the Asgardians.

Right now, though? The _last _thing Loki wanted was to insult Banner in such a way. Even if the other man might be unaware of the insult. On a purely instinctual level, Loki knew better than to humiliate or insult one such as he! As such, he stepped back, gesturing at the room.

"Please, step inside," he offered with a faint smile.

A look of pure relief washed over Bruce's face as he stepped inside. He then walked over to the couch, something that Loki hadn't yet noticed given his state of mind, and set the cans of beer down on the table.

"Have you eaten anything yet?" he asked Loki conversationally. "You know you can just ask Jarvis for whatever you might want, right? Any food you order will be brought to the tower and brought to your room. Jarvis seems to be connected to all takeaway places in town, and Tony doesn't mind. In fact, he encourages it."

At the other man's question, Loki felt his stomach protesting, and he realized that, no, he hadn't had anything to eat recently.

"I have not," he admitted. "There has been... a lot on my mind."

"Oh, well… we should probably order something then. It's not good to drink on an empty stomach," Bruce offered kindly. "What would you like to eat?"

Loki shrugged at that and shook his head.

"I have no preference," he said. "Whatever you want."

Bruce blinked at the other man and frowned slightly.

"Well… Right, erhm," Bruce paused, and Loki almost flinched. Honestly, this was getting to be quite awkward. "How about... do you like steak? There's this place that makes a delicious steak dinner and even delivers."

"That suits me just fine," Loki replied after a moment.

"Ah, okay. good," Bruce nodded and smiled. "Um. Would you like potatoes, french fries, or salad for a side?"

Again Loki shrugged.

"Again, I have no real preference," he said.

"Ah, okay… erhm," Bruce glanced up at the ceiling. "Jarvis?"

"Indeed, sir. Two servings of steak from Josephine's steak house, one with potatoes and one chef's choice," an electronic voice replied.

Loki looked up and tilted his head but didn't comment upon hearing the strange voice.

"Oh, you haven't met Jarvis yet, have you?" Bruce asked with a knowing smile. "He's Tony's artificial intelligence, he runs the tower."

"Artificial intelligence," Loki repeated in a distant voice. "A computer program designed to emulate human behavior. If done right, they can even carry whole conversations with you and, like humans, can learn through communication and observation. However, if they actually have a conscience of their own is dubious."

"That's what an artificial intelligence is," Bruce smirked, looking more than a little amused.

Loki was not sure if this was common knowledge or not among humans. He'd only read up about it when he was trying to acclimate to human technology. From what he had read, successful creations of artificial intelligence were still very rare. The whole process seemed to be in its' infancy. But he was glad his observation didn't seem to raise any red flags with Bruce. The other man simply sat down on the couch, grabbing a beer for himself and opening it up.

Loki slowly moved over to the table, then picked up a beer for himself, and opened it as well. Bruce glanced away.

"Look, I… I can't even imagine what it must feel like," he started in a soft voice. "Seeing the HULK up close like that? What you went through in the big incident... it must have been terrifying."

"Yes, it was rather terrifying," Loki replied, not even lying. He took a sip of the beer, the slightly bitter liquid lingering on his tongue. He blinked and realized… it was delicious.

"I'm sorry for what you went through," Bruce said as he hung his head.

Loki looked at the man, sitting there with head hanging low. The man looked absolutely pathetic. It really was hard to believe that this man was hiding such an awesome power inside of himself.

Loki sighed and rolled his eyes.

"What is an apology going to do to help?" he asked bluntly.

Bruce's eyes widened, and his face turned red. Not with anger, thankfully, but with embarrassment.

"You were in the battle because your home was under attack. You wanted to defend said home and the people therein. _Own _your actions. Don't apologize for them," Loki instructed in a firm tone.

Bruce blinked in surprise. Clearly, that wasn't what he had expected to hear from the other man. He looked up at Loki and frowned thoughtfully.

"You decided to do battle, didn't you?" Loki asked with a shrug. "In doing so, you had to walk into the fight with all you had. That's the nature of battle, of war. Don't look back, don't apologize. _Own it_."

Saying that the man looked stunned was definitely putting it mildly as Bruce met Loki's gaze.

"Well, that's… a different way of looking at it," he admitted slowly.

"What good is a warrior who always second-guesses himself?" Loki asked, taking a sip of his beer.

"Heh, you really do study old cultures, don't you?" Bruce asked, amused.

"What do you mean?" Loki asked with a frown.

"You... you're talking like one of those characters from older books. The ones with warrior societies and the like," Bruce responded with a chuckle.

Loki closed his eyes, forcing himself not to let his frown deepen. He had worked on his speech patterns blast it! He knew that the way he usually spoke was considered strange on Midgard. He'd thought he had gotten their own mannerisms down correctly.

Apparently not.

"I must admit that I am fascinated by their way of life," he said after a few moments.

"Don't worry about sounding weird. All geniuses are a bit strange, myself included," Bruce smiled, once more looking amused. "And of course, _Tony _is living here. There's just no competition when it comes to eccentricities when you're around him."

Loki remained quiet. It felt like a natural time to sit down on the other side of the couch. His stomach was still a roiling mess, but he remembered his plan. If he made friends with Banner, he could become friends with HULK. It would be _really _beneficial to get the other man on his side.

And so, with that in mind, Loki finally sat down. A smile appeared on Bruce's face.

"Look, it's going to be okay, Robert," he assured him, again his tone soft and understanding. "It's not easy, I'd never say that it is. Not when everything just seems to change from one day to the next. Believe me, I know! One day I'm just a regular boring Bruce Banner then BOOM! Nothing was the same anymore… and... well, it won't ever be the same again."

Loki glanced down, a memory flashing through his mind. One day, _he _was just the 'same old Prince Loki,' and then a touch was all it took. A single touch on his arm, revealing his natural blue skin hidden underneath the illusion he'd worn all his life. And just like that, as Bruce said, 'BOOM.' Nothing was the same… and there was no way back.

"Tony told me once, though, that we can figure it out. We can make something out of those changes in our lives," Bruce encouraged with a small smile.

Loki smirked, feeling more than a bit morbidly amused.

"That's a…. nice sentiment," he finally said.

"You don't sound very convinced," Bruce commented as he took another sip of his drink.

Loki glanced down. Honestly, he had to be very careful not to slip up. What was he to say? He really didn't have any hope for humanity as a whole. Sure, here inside of this building, there were a bunch of bleeding hearts trying to save this miserable planet. But... did they even bother to look outside, even for a second, to see the truth?

This planet was rotten… just like the rest of the universe.

Everything was so god-damned rotten. Rotten to its very core.


	20. Join the family

Only a single day had passed since Tony had taken Robert under his wing on Steve's request, and yet here they stood again as Steve petitioned Tony to take others in. Steve and Natasha stood with bowed heads, looking contrite. Clint was there too, but he didn't have the same expression. More that he looked bored or... perhaps annoyed?

"So... let me get this straight. You two want to bunk at my place now too?" Tony asked with a frown before he threw up his hands in exasperation. "Anyone else want to join in then?! Are we all just going to live together now? Is that it?"

"Tony, look…." Steve swallowed roughly and shook his head. "S.H.I.E.L.D. was originally housing us, but after what happened with HYDRA and all of that I… I can't work for S.H.I.E.L.D. anymore. It just isn't right to do so when they're so compromised. How could I trust that the orders I received were actually from SHIELD itself and not an order Hydra? Because of that, I... don't have anywhere to go right now."

"I..." Natasha fell quiet and let out a soft sigh. "I don't know what to do either. S.H.I.E.L.D. was all that I had."

Tony turned to look at Natasha and then let out a gusty sigh of his own as he turned to look at Clint.

"You want to join the party, too?" he asked in a dry tone.

"No," Clint huffed and shook his head. "In fact, I've been the one housing these two for the last couple of days. And I told them before, they could stay for as long as they needed."

He turned to look at the pair with a disappointed frown.

"I'll repeat it again," he said firmly. "The two of you can still stay at my place if you need to."

"Clint," Natasha looked at him with an expression of fond exasperation. "I can't keep imposing on you."

"Nonsense Nat, you are part of the family. _You _know _that,_" Clint said firmly. He waved a hand towards Steve. "He can stay too."

Steve shook his head, his voice equally as firm and unyielding.

"No, Clint," he started, "our presence is compromising your home and family, it's not right for us to stay any longer."

"Wait, what?!" Tony blinked at Steve in confusion before turning to look at Clint. His tone sounded befuddled and amazed as he spoke. "_You _have got a family? _Legolas _has a _family_?!"

"Why do you look so surprised?" Clint asked drolly as he crossed his arms.

"I just... you have a family. I mean a wife obviously, but… you also have _kids _and stuff?" Tony asked. He was acting like his world had been flipped upsidedown.

"Again, you're making it sound like it's weird for me to have a family," Clint commented with a small snort.

"Seriously?" Tony tried again, still looking befuddled.

Clint rolled his eyes and shook his head.

"My family life is _strictly _separated from my role as a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent," he told the group. "Well… it _was._ I don't work for S.H.I.E.L.D. at this point either. I mean, how can I? They had that corruption within their ranks for who knows how long. I... can't trust them anymore."

"So you've gone, what? Freelance?" Tony asked.

Clint rolled his eyes and shook his head.

"Took an early pension," he informed them. "Fury approved it."

"Sooooo," Tony dragged the word out as he tapped on his chin. "Does your wife know that you killed people for a living?"

"_TONY_!" Natasha exclaimed in a scandaled tone.

Clint sighed and waved a hand at her.

"It's fine, Nat," he said to her before he turned his gaze on Tony. A steely gaze. "And yes, of course she does. However, the kids don't. If you ever get to meet them, then you had _better _keep your mouth shut about that, Tony. I mean it."

"Alright, alright, that's fine. I was just asking!" Tony rolled his eyes and threw his hands up again. Then he sighed and shook his head as he looked at Steve and Natasha. "Listen, I get it, S.H.I.E.L.D. used to be the ones fighting off the bad guys, and now you can't trust them anymore. Now you're homeless, and you still want to find and fight the bad guys. That means you need a place to relax and or plan. I've been thinking about that a lot myself. There is a bunch of shit _out there_ that can threaten the Earth. Things that are a lot more dangerous than our own home-brew baddies. Look at us, though. That big fight? We managed to pull together as a unique fighting force. Us! A team of specialists that kicked ass as 'The Avengers!' There is some real potential here. I'm not about to deny that."

The others shared a bemused, yet hopeful look before turning back to Tony.

"Sooo... instead of working for Fury, work for me!" he threw his hands outward and grinned widely. "Let me hire you all as employees. That way, you can stay here without feeling guilty about freeloading or whatever. And don't deny that you'd get that way Cap. I know you!"

Steve blushed and rubbed at the back of his neck as Tony wagged a finger at him.

"Anyway," Tony finished with a grin. "Work for me as a 'special team unit,' and you have yourselves a deal. What do you say?"

Natasha smiled a bit and then chuckled in amusement.

"You always make things sound so simple," she admitted with a shake of her head.

"Yeah, well, why over-complicate stuff?" Tony countered. "I got one demand, however. Legolas over there? He needs to be part of it. He doesn't have to stay here all the time, obviously, but I want you hired on too."

Clint raised an eyebrow at the other man and tilted his head.

"It's a good offer," Tony said, the smallest hint of a whine to his voice. "You get a bit extra cash out of it, right? You can go buy the wifey a cute necklace or whatever she might like. The kids too! What do kids like these days again? That 'Call of Duty' series, right?"

"My family is _strictly _separated from any work that I may do. Still, I'm listening," Clint said firmly as he leaned back against the wall. "To be honest though, I'm a bit unsure as to why you would want me on your little 'team.'"

"You're good at what you do, Legs. Seen it for myself," Tony answered with a small shrug. He jabbed a thumb Natasha's direction a second later. "Plus, I'm pretty sure Red over there would want you on the team."

Natasha actually blushed, and she glanced downwards.

"Thank you for offering Tony. You're right, I would appreciate being on the same team as my old partner," Natasha admitted as she pushed a loose strand of said red hair back behind her ear. "I promise, though, this doesn't have to be permanent. Just until we manage to figure things out and get ourselves back on our feet."

Tony shrugged and waved a hand dismissively.

"Meh. Take your time," he said nonchalantly. "You all can help me keep an eye on Rob as well."

Natasha looked up, her blush fading. Her expression was both serious and curious.

"You're talking about Robert Johnson, yes?" she asked.

Tony nodded with a grin.

"Yup," he responded. "I take it Steve already told you about him?"

"I did," Steve answered with a nod.

"Tony..." Natasha let out a soft sigh, face concerned. "I don't think you should trust that man."

"Duh!" Tony said with a laugh, making all three of them blink at him in confusion. "Whaaat? Do you lot _really _think I'm that stupid?"

"Um..." Clint responded succinctly for the three.

"Wow, yeah. NO!" Tony shook his head in amusement and started ticking off notes on his fingers. "Dude shows up out of nowhere. Not only that, but he oh _so _conveniently knows just what we need to know when we need to know it? Sure. Pull the other one. Not only that but that background story he gave us? _Waaaay _too convenient. Like it was fabricated to suit his needs right out of the gate. His identity? _Fake_! I figured that out within ten minutes of looking into the guy's background. I don't know what his real name is, but it sure as hell isn't 'Robert Johnson' or anything similar."

"Ah," Natasha said with another blink, surprised that Tony had been wise enough to look into the newcomer's background so swiftly.

"Still," Tony started with a small sigh. "Robby-boy knows his stuff. And we need that. That he's been willing to openly share what he knows and help is one of the reasons I'm willing to let him stay. For now. It helps that the entire building is fitted with surveillance cameras and the like. If he does something suspicious here, then we'll be the first to know. Especially since all the computers are connected to the same main-frame. Anything he does on a computer will be recorded and sent to us."

"I..." Steve blinked and then nodded his head. "That's very clever of you, Tony. I like the guy, but you're right. We need to be careful."

"Rule number one; Never trust smart people," Tony said in a flat, no-nonsense tone.

Steve blinked and let out a small huff of laughter.

"Isn't that counter-intuitive?" he asked. "You call yourself the smartest man on Earth, after all."

"Exactly!" Tony pointed at Steve with a wide grin. "And as such, you know that you shouldn't trust _me_ all the time either."

After that wonderfully insightful little statement, Tony let out a heavy sigh and leaned back against the counter-top.

"Don't get me wrong," he said in a subdued tone. "There's the possibility that Rob is what he says he is, an innocent caught up in a lot of shit that has forced him to hide his true identity to avoid Hydra clutches. If his family was really in danger, then he probably faked his death as one of the many lost in the battle with Thor's brother. If that's what happened, then our precautions will be just that. Simple, harmless precautions. I'll be doing what I promised and keeping him safe. Still, I am going to keep an eye on him. What he knows is very valuable to the right people. Priceless even.

Steve and the others nodded, though the good Captain suddenly smirked at Tony. The Man of Iron looked back with a raised brow.

"What? Something on my face?" he asked.

"No, you just keep surprising me," Steve admitted with a chuckle. "I mean, I knew you were smart-"

"'Smartest man on Earth,' Steve! Get it right!" Tony proclaimed with an exaggerated finger point toward the ceiling. Natasha snorted in amusement, and said finger was suddenly pointed at her. "Hey! None of that now. You're going to be helping me keep an eye on the new guy, sweetheart."

Natasha shrugged at that and nodded her head.

"That's fair. You are giving me a place to stay after all," she pushed away from the wall and started for the door, pausing to lean closer to Tony as she passed him. "Fair warning; Don't call me sweetheart."

"She's crushed the balls of terrorists for less," Clint pipped in with a dark grin. "Those who lived are never going to have kids."

"Right! Okay! Noted!" Tony replied, voice just a little high with startled concern for his own bits. Steve chuckled as Natasha left the room with a satisfied smirk on her lips.

* * *

_This chapter has been edited by Arei-The Peridot Dragon_


	21. Ms Potts

"And _this_," Bruce said with a grin. "Is the lab."

Loki peered inside briefly before following Bruce inside the rather large room. The many surfaces and walls were covered in all sorts of electronics, screens, mechanical arms, and other various objects. Loki looked around with a surprised blink.

"I know it's a bit overwhelming. Even when I worked with the gamma field reactor, it wasn't anything like _this_," Bruce said when he noticed Loki's expression. He chuckled and then cleared his throat. "That was probably a mistake in all honesty. Anyway, most of this was developed by Tony himself. He really is a technical genius."

This probably was a good time to learn more about Midgardian technology. To be honest, Loki had no idea what any of the different objects were used for. Oh, he knew that some of them had to be multiple types of scanners. Then there were, of course, the various computer and laptop screens that he'd already acclimated to. Everything else, however? Loki mentally shook his head. He could figure out what this equipment was used for. This was the most advanced technology that Earth had to offer, and it was right at his finger-tips no less! That had been almost too easy.

Fools.

Loki turned his head to the side to hide his expression from Banner and smirked, congratulating himself on a job well done. His enemies had freely handed him anything that he could possibly need. He almost, _almost_, felt bad about the very real likelihood that he would be betraying them in the future.

Still, that wasn't a certainty at this point. Who knew what the future would bring.

Once his expression was back under control, he looked up and glanced around the room once more. At the end of the room, there was a giant window looking out over New York proper. Loki walked over to the window and looked out at the grand city-scape before him. To think, roughly a year ago, he had been standing atop this very tower calling upon the Chitauri to wreak havoc upon the populace below.

His eyes scanned over the visible buildings. He could see the specks of humans that were milling around, going about their daily lives. One year was nothing in the grand scheme of the cosmos. A fleeting second. The flicker of a candle. Loki had to hand it to them, though. Looking down at the area, one would find it nigh on impossible to guess that a massive battle with interstellar creatures had taken place.

The people had mourned, rebuilt, and, in most cases, moved on with their lives. It was like the battle had been erased and forgotten from their minds.

"It's an amazing view, isn't it?" Bruce commented as he stepped beside Loki. "Kind of scary, huh?"

Loki frowned in thought. What was scary about such a view? It was like watching ants crawling around. Mindless drones that did not even realize the depths of what was going on around them. There was nothing scary about that. Unless Banner was referring to how high up they were? If so, then there was doubly no reason to fear. In fact, the view was... calming, if anything.

"Anyway," Bruce said as he turned away from the view, waving his hand at the neater portion of the room, "this part of the lab is free for us to use."

He then pointed to the other half of the room, which was a mess. Scraps, wires, half-finished projects, food-wrappers, and unopened chocolate bars lay in a seemingly haphazard mess. It took a moment for Loki to see any kind of order to the chaos, but it was there. If only in the sense that none of the food or trash was strewn over said various projects.

"As you can see, that portion is... _not_," Bruce said with a weak chuckle. "That's Tony's work section. He doesn't like anyone touching his projects. Try to ignore the mess."

Loki frowned as he looked the area over and then turned to look at Bruce with a raised brow.

"Very well," he said slowly, "but why are we here, Doctor Banner?"

"Well, for now, we need to work on tracing and measuring the various Gamma energies that can be found across the globe," Bruce said in a determined tone. He walked over to one of the larger computer screens and pulled up a hologram next to it. An image of the globe itself popped up in view. "I am currently conducting several scans of different continents to see if there are any concentrated sources of Gamma radiation. The fun starts when I find a concentrated source."

"Oh? Loki asked curiously.

"Yup," Bruce flashed a small smile at him before turning back to the image. "If and when we find something, then the first question we need to as is this; is the source of the radiation man-made, or is it actually something given off by an alien object? Things like the Tesseract, the Mind Staff, and even Malekith's stone."

Loki nodded as if he was just finding out about said various objects, and the other man continued.

"Mind, those three objects are the only items we've confirmed to give off Gamma radiation thus far," he said. "We want to figure out if there are any others like them on Earth at this time."

"What will you do if you're able to find any?" Loki asked with a tilt of his head.

"Well, I guess we'll retrieve it for further study," Bruce commented idly, his eyes not leaving the screen that he was focused so intently on.

Lok grinned to himself. That was perfect. Absolutely perfect! This was precisely what he had been hoping for when he'd staged things to 'join' the Avengers in their little tower.

Before he could say or do anything else, the door opened abruptly. Loki turned to look and saw a woman step into the room. She had long, strawberry-blonde hair, a thin build, and was wearing a smart-looking business suit that flowed nicely over her slender body. Bruce turned when the door opened as well and blinked at the woman.

"Oh, hey there. Good morning, Pepper!" he said in greeting. "I'm afraid that if you're looking for Tony, he isn't here at the moment."

Pepper shook her head at that and smiled back.

"No, that's not why I'm here. I heard our Gamma Team just got a new member," she turned her head to look at Loki and smiled in greeting. "Hi there. You're Robert Johnson, yes?"

"Yes, I am," Loki responded with a nod.

"Ah, good," she held out her hand to him. "I'm Patricia Potts, the current CEO of Stark Industries. Most just call me Pepper."

"Ah, a pleasure to meet you, Pepper," Loki said as he accepted her hand and shook it in greeting.

"I'm also the person in charge of making sure that Tony doesn't accidentally destroy the entire planet with his inventions," she said with a dry smile.

"Well then," Loki responded with a smirk and a shake of his head, "in that case, you have both my condolences and my sincerest sympathies."

That made Pepper snort softly in amusement before laughing outright.

"Wow," she said as she reigned in her chuckles, "I have to say that has to be the most appropriate response I've ever gotten!"

Even Bruce smiled at that, looking between the two as if happy everyone was getting along. He turned to look at Pepper.

"At any rate, it's still good to see you, Pepper," he said jovially. "It's been a while. How are you holding up?"

"I'm... doing well," she said, but there was a level of hesitation to her tone and words. It was obvious to Loki that she was lying. So obvious in fact that Bruce caught it as well.

"What's wrong, Pep?" Bruce asked, his tone concerned.

Pepper sighed softly and closed her eyes, frustration clearly showing on her face.

"Look, I..." she let out another sigh. "Tony and I had talked about our relationship, and I'd told him that I wanted him to cut back on this 'Iron Man' business of his. Not entirely. I know better than to ask for that considering how stubborn he can be, but... want him to be safe. You know?"

"I get that," Bruce said with a sympathetic nod. Pepper smiled weakly and then glared around the room.

"And now?" she continued. "Now I find out that Tony's looking to do _more _instead of less! I... I don't think I can handle it. That's... it's not what we agreed on."

Bruce's expression turned sorrowful, and he looked around the room himself. He turned back to her and sighed softly.

"I am so sorry Pepper," he started, voice contrite, "I didn't mean to-"

"It's not _your _fault Bruce," Pepper interrupted assuringly, a sad smile on her lips. "It's actually good that you're here. Having another level-headed person around that Tony listens to is a good thing. It's just... I love him, I really do, but taking care of him is such hard work. I'm not sure I can do it anymore when he doesn't even do the _one _thing we agreed on as a couple. To just tone it down a little with being a hero."

Loki tried not to groan out loud as the two talked. Human drama. Or, more accurately, _relationship _drama. It always left a bad taste in his mouth and made him want to hurl. He took a step back, distancing himself physically from the conversation without drawing attention to himself.

"It's going to be all right, Pepper," Bruce assured the woman with a gentle smile. "Tony is simply worried about your safety. Well, he's worried about Earth's safety too, but mostly he wants to make sure people dear to him are safe. With time, when we figure out what these Gamma sources are and if they're actually dangerous or not, he should calm down and stop worrying so much. You'll both be fine."

"You really think so?" Pepper asked in a soft voice.

"I'm positive," Bruce smiled more openly, but Loki could see the slightest twitching of the other man's lip. Not only that, his left eye had the tiniest of spasms. Bruce Banner was lying! He didn't believe a word he was saying. Pepper didn't notice, however, either she chose not to, or she just couldn't see what Loki could.

"Yeah, maybe you're right," she said with a nod, though her hands were held together, fingers twisting round and round nervously.

She didn't believe it either.

Loki was stuck watching two people lying both to themselves and each other. This was supposed to be heart-warming? Ugh. It was an effort to keep his face blankly polite and not let it twist to an expression of disgust. Pepper turned to look at him, and he raised a brow.

"Anyway, I've taken up too much of your time," she said with a polite smile. "It was very nice to meet you, Robert. The more level-headed people around to keep an eye on Tony, the better. Just be aware that he can be... a bit reckless at times."

"As you say," Loki said drily, causing Pepper to smile in amusement.

"Right, I hope we'll have a chance to talk again later," Pepper said as she turned back toward the door. "I'm in the building most of the day, and my office is located on the top floor. If you need anything, feel free to swing by."

"I appreciate the offer. Thank you, Pepper," Loki said, and he bowed slightly in her direction.

Pepper smiled, a genuine smile this time, clearly charmed by his genial attitude. Which was the point. What would have really sold the act back on Asgard would be to have called her 'Lady' Pepper or 'Lady' Potts. Sadly, said verbiage wasn't used all that often anymore on Earth. Midgardians had regressed horribly when it came to manners. Once she was gone, Loki turned to look at Bruce, whose gaze had softened somewhat as he watched the woman leave. He turned to Loki and grinned conspiratorially at Loki.

"Between you and me," he started, humor filling his voice, "she's the real boss. Not Tony."

"Oh?" Loki asked with a surprised blink.

"Tony is a brilliant inventor, there's no doubt about that," Bruce said with a firm nod. "When it comes to science and technology, it really is likely that he has the greatest mind on the planet. But everything else? He can be a bit lacking. Business deals, general Human interaction, time tables, personal diet, hell, even hygiene, all of that is handled by her."

"So, what you're saying is that she's Tony's Mother," Loki said, completely dead-pan.

The comment was so unexpected that Bruce choked on his laughter uncontrollably for a moment before shaking his head, tears of mirth trailing down his cheeks. He took off his glasses and cleaned them using his shirt.

"Oh, god, that's... that's not funny," he slipped his glasses back into place and couldn't help but let out another small snort of laughter before finally admitting the truth. "Okay, well, yeah, you could call it that. It's a bit too accurate to be wrong. Though, I do believe that Tony would prefer it if we refer to her as his girlfriend."

"Ah, I see," Loki nodded thoughtfully and glanced toward the door. "She's a lot less... vapid... than I would have expected Tony's girlfriend to be."

Bruce let out another snort of amusement.

"I think Tony has had enough of the 'vapid girlfriend' relationships," he said gently. "He seems to finally be at a point in his life where he is searching for something more meaningful than that."

Loki nodded slowly, lost in thought. Despite the situation and the display of drama, he had learned some surprisingly valuable information over the past few minutes.

"Well then," Bruce said, clapping his hands together and grinning. "Shall we go ahead and get to work?"

Loki nodded his head a little more eagerly this time, returning the other man's grin.

"Yes, please show me what we will be doing," he said in response.

Bruce's smile widened, and he led Loki over toward his pet projects.

* * *

_edited by __Arei-The Peridot Dragon_


	22. Drinks and peanuts

"So… what do you think?" Tony asked Bruce in a serious, no-nonsense tone for once.

"Well, I can say that the one thing I'm sure of is this; He really _is _a genius," Bruce replied carefully.

The two men had met up later that afternoon in Tony's private lounge. Tony had already poured a glass for himself and Bruce both. By now, Tony's drink was already half-gone while, in comparison, Bruce's was barely touched.

"Yeah, I agree with you there, Big Guy," Tony said as he casually brought up a hologram. "All of these calculations done in less than a day. I have to admit, even I can't work that fast."

There was a small hint of resentment in the Man of Iron's tone. It seemed like he wasn't all that thrilled to find out that he might no longer be the smartest in the building when it came to tech. He let out a grunt and dismissed the hologram with a careless flick of his fingers before taking another sip of his drink.

"He seems to be enjoying the work he's doing too," Bruce offered up, flashing the other man a small, reassuring smile. "When he got focused, I had to yell at him to get his attention. Otherwise, he would ignore everything else around him. Which is typical behavior for the more passionate scientists I've met over the years. Including you and I."

Tony nodded, looking down at his glass as if it would somehow answer his questions. He huffed in amusement and took another sip of his drink.

"Well, with that, he sounds like the real deal," he said with a hum. "A legit new science partner to hang out with. Whelp, not goin' to complain about that. He'll make a good employee, at least."

Bruce nodded.

"That he is. He'll do a lot of good here, and he seems nice," he smiled gently. "A bit strange, but then what kind of scientist isn't?"

"True," Tony tilted his head thoughtfully. "In what way do you consider him to be 'strange,' Big Guy?"

"Well, he's clearly foreigner, so he wasn't lying about that," Bruce said with a tilt of his head. "I mean, it's not just his accent that gives that away, but the way he acts. His mannerisms are not very 'American' if you will. It's the small things. Honestly, I'm starting to think he's been very isolated throughout his life. There are several things he doesn't know about. Again, it's just little things. If I'm right and he grew up burying himself in any work that interested him and nothing else, then it makes sense."

Tony nodded in agreement. He'd noticed the same things for the most part. Bruce chuckled softly and leaned back in his seat as he continued.

"You know, I've lived in several foreign countries while I was..." he paused with a small flinch before finishing, "_hiding_. When you're in an unfamiliar area, you tend to stand out. All because you're unfamiliar with the smaller customs and social norms of the area."

"England's not that different from America though," Tony pointed out, running his hands through his hair. "I mean, there are some small things but still. Anyway, we can use his work to our advantage, at least."

"Honestly? I like him," Bruce said with a smile. "He was clearly afraid of me, and for a good reason too. But he did his best to push past that fear and learn about me. He asked me about my life as a scientist and all."

"Did he say anything else about himself?" Tony pressed, and Bruce let out a hum of thought.

"Well, it didn't seem like he wanted to talk about himself too much," Bruce admitted after a moment. "He mostly just ask me questions about myself."

Tony nodded at that, frowning a bit. The silence stretched on long enough for Bruce to feel a bit concerned.

"Tony?" he pressed. "How do _you _feel about him?"

Tony was quiet for another moment before he finally shrugged a shoulder in a careless gesture.

"I neither like him nor dislike him," he said. "Trust nor distrust. It's the same for Natasha, Clint, and even Steve. Oh, right. By the way, Natasha and Steve will be staying here in the tower for now."

"Really?" Bruce asked with a blink. "What are they doing here?"

"You heard about the S.H.I.E.L.D. fiasco, right?" Tony asked with a huff of amusement.

Bruce nodded his head. He had, and it hadn't sounded too good.

"Well, _I, _of course, already knew that SHIELD was corrupt," he said smugly, grabbing a bag of peanuts and opening it. "Sadly, the sheer level of corruption came as a big surprise for our Spangled Soldier and two assassins. So, now they don't know what to do with themselves. Like lost puppies. Anyway, I took them in, 'cause I'm generous like that. So don't be shocked to see 'em hanging around the place, 'k?"

"Oh. I see," Bruce started to nod and then stopped with a small frown. "That's... I'm not sure..."

"Don't worry, Big Guy. Just think about it. They'll be on hand in case aliens attack the Earth again. So this is a good thing," Tony said, popping some peanuts in his mouth before holding the bag out to Bruce.

"But... didn't you say earlier that you don't trust them just yet?" Bruce asked, taking a handful of the snack for himself before handing the bag back.

"I'm a _scientist_, man. I won't trust anything before I've run a few tests," Tony said, taking the bag and tossing it on the table. "It would be great, though, if the Avengers could genuinely become their own thing. Then..."

Tony fell silent, his eyes losing focus, and he turned his head to stare out the closest window toward the sky.

"Hey, Tony?" Bruce asked, concern in his voice. "You okay?"

Tony swallowed audibly and turned back to look at Bruce, his skin pale.

"You didn't see it... those _things _on the other side of the wormhole," he started in a soft tone, shivering and grabbing his forehead. His entire body was shaking, and his voice rose in pitch. "Earth. Earth is so _small_! Defenseless! _Anything _could happen to it, and we... what if they had come through? What if it hadn't worked? And what are we going to do the next time something like this happens?! Those were _monsters _out there waiting to cross over. They _were_!"

"Tony? Tony!" Bruce moved swiftly in front of the other man, placing a hand on his shoulder and squeezing gently. Tony started, looking up with wide eyes. "Easy buddy, relax. It's okay. We'll figure it out, alright?"

Tony swallowed roughly and looked up at the ceiling.

"It was... it was so cold. So _vast_. And there were monsters in the dark, lurking. Waiting. In all directions, Bruce. It was all I could see. They were _watching _us... like we were _nothing _to them but another conquest."

Bruce placed his free hand on Tony's other shoulder, holding it firmly and giving the man a stern look.

"I need you to breathe, Tony. Slowly, in and out, and then _listen _to me," he instructed firmly. Tony took a slow breath as he was told, and Bruce waited for a moment before continuing. "You are doing _everything _you can. You're working on new tech. You're building a specialized team. Working yourself ragged. I get it, I do. But remember, those things that you saw? Right now, they are far, _far _away from us. You don't have to be scared right now. We have _time_."

"'Right now,'" Tony repeated with a weak smile. "Heh... those are the keywords, aren't they? But... what about in the future?"

"Then we will figure it out in the future," Bruce assured the other man. "We have friends now, out there in the dark of space. You know that Thor will warn us if anything starts to head our way."

Tony closed his eyes and took a few more calming breaths. He nodded his head a few minutes later. Bruce let out a soft sigh of relief before patting his friend on the shoulder.

"Hey," he smiled when the other man opened his eyes and looked back up at him. "We beat a _god_. You got this."

Tony smiled faintly and then let out a faint chuckle.

"We did," he gave one of Bruce's hands a pat. "It helped that we had the HULK on the team too."

Bruce flushed faintly at that, turning his head to the side. He let go of Tony's shoulders and stepped away, rubbing at the back of his neck. He stayed quiet a moment before picking up his drink.

"Well," he started, "I'm just glad I could help."

Tony smirked and let out a small laugh.

"Doc, you're the best of both worlds, you know that?" he said. "Brilliant mind _and _the strength to smash a god."

"Leave it to you to make me feel good about myself:" Bruce chuckled in amusement. He turned to look out the window, a faint smile on his lips.

"You good, Bruce?" Tony asked in a more serious tone.

Bruce was silent a moment before nodding his head.

"Yeah. I am. I feel like this actually might work out for the best," his smile warmed. "I can help people. Really help them. And... well, I'm not alone anymore, am I? I have friends again. People I can trust. I hadn't believed this to be possible again..."

"Hey, Big Guy," Tony stood up, glass in hand, and walked over to his friend. "My home is your home. You're practically part of the family as it is."

"Family, huh?" Bruce smiled and nodded his head. "I like the sound of that."

* * *

_This chapter has been edited by Arei-The Peridot Dragon_


	23. The Widow

_Oh, joy.._. Loki thought sarcastically even as he worked to keep his expression pleasant. _Of all the Humans that I could encounter here, _**_she _**_is the one I'd rather continue to avoid. _

As a woman, she was beautiful to behold. Even by Asgardian standards. Her body was slim and shapely. Depending on how she held herself, others could be easily fooled into believing she wasn't all that strong. Her hair was a deep red, so much so that it almost looked unnatural to the eye. And yet it was her true coloring.

Still, one shouldn't be fooled by outward appearances. Everything the woman did was perfectly calculated, all to make Loki feel at ease with her being nearby. Like now, for example. Her face was set in an open, pleasant expression with a soft smile tilting her lips upwards. Her body language was open, calm, and relaxed, and her voice was pitched low and gentle.

And yet, this woman was a master of manipulation, just as he was. Worse actually! She was more than capable of reading others around her using the slightest shift in body language, tone, and spoken word.

Loki had to be more than just mindful of his words around Natasha Romanov. He'd have to be careful of his motions too. Ugh. His best defense would be to remain aware of his words and actions when around the woman. Perhaps even speaking as little as possible.

He would not lose to a mere mortal. No matter how skilled said mortal was.

Natasha was currently standing in front of Loki, a kindly smile on her lips. The sort of smile that would melt the heart of many a mortal man.

"It's nice to finally meet you, Robert," she said in such a kindly, honest tone that made Loki want to twitch. "Steve has told me so much about you."

Loki remained quiet, acting reclusive and making himself seem a touch shy. She was testing him. He knew it. There was no way that tone was anything but a lie. He had to stay on guard.

"Also, Tony mentioned that you've been helping him," Natasha tapped thoughtfully at her chin, expertly drawing attention to lush lips. He ignored the movement. "You're a scientist, right?"

Loki nodded his head slowly in agreement.

"You're a mythologist too, I heard," she said with a tilt of her head. "Got ahead of the curve when it came to figuring out where those 'old gods' came from. That's pretty amazing."

While Natasha's smile hinted not one bit at her motive, he could tell that she was clearly baiting him with the compliment. Once again, Loki had to fight against the urge to gloat. He struggled not to laugh in her face and tell her that her world was a pitiful, backwater planet. That their 'advanced technology' was laughably pathetic.

_So you little apes made it to the moon all on your own_, he thought to himself. _And yet you cannot create enough energy and food to sustain yourself without ruining your own world in the process. Pathetic!_

"Hey now," Natasha pouted slightly, giving him an innocent look. "Don't tell me that you're scared of little ol' me?"

She could pull off the 'innocent lady' look quite well. Loki knew better. This 'innocent' had killed plenty of people over the years, likely by exploiting their more vulnerable sides. Honestly, it's what he'd do. Soften a person up by playing the inoffensive, harmless role and then stab them in the back when they were no longer wary.

Loki closed his eyes and took a slow breath. He had to say _something _to the woman. Staying quiet right now would only look more suspicious. The best thing to do was to turn the conversation away from him and back on her. He opened his eyes, making sure to keep up the act of being nervous.

"Um... you're with... S.H.I.E.L.D.," he said softly, swallowing as if it had been hard to say even that much.

Natasha blinked at him in surprise and tilted her head, silently inviting him to continue.

"And... S.H.I.E.L.D. is..." Loki shifted warily, acting like he wanted to bolt. "They're HYDRA."

"Oh," Natasha said with another blink and a small, concerned frown. "You were threatened by HYDRA, weren't you?"

"Y-yeah," Loki said with a wary nod. "That's why I'm here. Because HYDRA was... I mean, I was... Well... I was the leak?"

"It's okay, you don't have to be nervous. I'm not with HYDRA," Natasha assured him with another smile before letting out a heavy sigh. "I didn't know about them either. If I had..."

She shook her head slightly and looked pensively away from Loki.

"It's a rather messed up situation, isn't it?" she said sympathetically. "I thought I could do some good for once in my life. S.H.I.E.L.D. was my chance to do that. But then this happened, and... well, I'm sorry you had to go through that."

Loki eyed the woman warily. Her words were likely sincere, but he knew that she was using them in a way to make herself look vulnerable. It was another attempt to get him to open up. To speak about himself.

He stayed quiet, only shifting his feet as if agitated.

Natasha looked back up at him, taking in his expression. She blinked and stepped forward, a curious light in her eyes. Loki frowned and leaned back.

"Um... what are you doing?" he asked.

"Those eyes..." Natasha tilted her head, examining him. "I feel like I've seen them somewhere before."

Loki's breath hitched in his throat. That was right, he'd kept his eyes because he'd been so proud of them. Why had he kept the same damn eye color!?

For a moment, a second that felt like a lifetime, Natasha stood there scrutinizing his face. She finally turned her head and laughed faintly. He relaxed faintly as the intense eye-contact was finally broken.

"I'm sorry about that," she said, offering him a soft smile. "I thought... no, it doesn't matter and isn't possible. I would have remembered your face, too, not just the eyes. And your's _is _a handsome face."

Loki could not help but return the woman's smile, though it was somewhat awkward on his end. Of course, he looked handsome. He had designed it that way deliberately, though he would have preferred his real face. It was, after all, the visage of a god.

"So, how do you like it here at Stark Inc?" Natasha asked, clearly trying to change the subject by starting up a more casual discussion.

"It's... nice," Loki said, keeping things short and straightforward.

"I suppose that's one way of putting it," she said with a smirk and a soft laugh. "I heard you spent the day with Bruce, right?"

"He's smart," Loki responded with a nod.

_For a Human, that is,_ he added mentally.

Natasha offered him another small smile and kept the light conversation going for a little longer. Much to Loki's annoyance and chagrin.

* * *

Some time later, both Tony and Bruce turned to look as the door to the lounge opened up, revealing the red-headed spy mistress. Two glasses lay on the table, along with a nearly empty bag of peanuts. Tony was quick to get up and find a third glass, filling it and then refilling the other two. Just in time too, as Natasha was swift to grab the glass from his hand, downing the drink before holding it out for a refill.

"So? What's the scoop?" Tony asked.

Despite him being on his fourth drink, he wasn't actually all that drunk. Years of drinking over the years had given him a pretty decent tolerance to the stuff. Bruce, in comparison, was only half-way finished with his second glass. Not only that, but he didn't intend to have another. He had no desire to find out what would happen if he got well and truly sloshed.

"Well, at the very least, he is extremely wary of me. It's not an act, and he is very good at closing up like a damn oyster," Natasha said as Tony obliged by refilling her glass. She flashed him a smile in thanks and then frowned. "He is definitely hiding _something_, but since we already know that 'Robert' isn't his name, that's not that surprising. He's on guard, especially around me."

"Aaaand?" Tony asked, spinning a finger in a 'go on' gesture.

"And nothing," Natasha admitted in a dry tone. "That's all I got from him."

"Wait. What? Seriously?" Tony asked, surprise flickering over his features.

"The man's surprisingly difficult to read," Natasha said with a sigh, she held the cold glass up to her forehead and let out a huff of breath. "I'm sorry. I'm just really tired right now."

"Are you alright?" Bruce asked, shooting her a worried look.

"Yeah, I'll be fine, Bruce. I just... I feel used, you know?" Natasha said, eyes falling shut. She shook her head. "S.H.I.E.L.D. used me. They came to me and told me that I wouldn't have to be a mindless assassin anymore. That I could do some good in the world. And yet, what happened? Just the same old story. I feel so... _stupid_."

"You're not stupid, Natasha," Bruce assured her in a firm voice.

"Of course I am," Natasha responded with a soft hiss, rubbing at her brow. "Whenever I've received a mission, I immediately carried it out without asking _any _questions. I didn't even realize that I could have been working for HYDRA! Any large organization risks infiltration by enemy agents. I should have checked first. Stupid!"

"Weeeeell," Tony started with a weak grin. "I don't mean to say I told you so, _but_-"

"Shut up, Tony," Natasha opened her eyes and growled threateningly. He held up his hands defensively, and she let out a heavy sigh. "I suppose the sayings true. Once a monster, always a monster, yeah?"

"Natasha," Bruce said, shaking his head and moving over to stand near her. "Listen to me, okay? I know a thing or two about monsters, and you aren't one of them."

"That's very sweet of you, Bruce," Natasha said, smiling gently before looking away from. "But I'm afraid you don't know what I am. _Who _I am. It's my job to look sweet and innocent. But I trick people into telling me their secrets and then kill them for a living if deemed necessary."

"I know," Bruce said in a soothing tone. "But I also know that there is more to a person than just their job, regardless of profession. That part of you, the part that kills without emotion? Yes, that's you. But so is the kind woman who faced down the Hulk, who held out a hand in friendship rather than shoot him."

Natasha blinked in surprise, lifting her head and looking back up to meet Bruce's gaze. Tony stayed quiet, turning away to refill his drink while hiding a grin.

"Bruce?" she started hesitantly. "You..."

Bruce smiled shyly and ducked his head for a moment before his face turned serious. He met her gaze unflinchingly.

"Believe me, Natasha," he said in an encouraging tone. "I have seen my fair share of cruel people out there. People who take open pleasure in the misery of others. People who can rightly be called 'monsters.' You _feel _Natasha. Guilt, sorrow, grief. In feeling those things stronger than them, you are better than they are Natasha. You find no pleasure in your job. You are a kind person."

Natasha's eyes widened further and further as he spoke. Once he fell silent, a blush stained her cheeks pink, and she turned her head away. She chuckled softly and brushed a few strands of loose hair behind her ear.

"That's... very sweet of you to say, Bruce," she said softly.

"Hey, if it helps any," Tony started with a grin. He leaned against the table and placed his hand in his chin, pointing his glass in her direction. "_I_ still think that you're kind of a bitch. In a good way."

"Really, Tony?" Bruce said in a dead-pan tone even as Natasha let out a soft snort of amusement.

"You're just saying that because I beat you in a fight," Natasha said, smiling.

"Yup," Tony made the 'p' pop and took a sip of his drink. Natasha chuckled in amusement, and Bruce shook his head as Tony continued. "Though, to be honest? I am glad that you're on my side."

"I am too," Natasha admitted with a small smile. The smile faded, and she let out a gusty sigh. "Tony, I... I wanted to do good. To be good. All my life, I was raised, trained, to kill. To do what others considered evil. I was never once asked if that was what I wanted for myself. S.H.I.E.L.D. and Fury were the first to even bother asking me what_ I_ wanted. But that was just a lie. _S.H.I.E.L.D._ lied. Fury... Fury, at least, had his head in the right place, but in the end, he couldn't trust his own people. This whole debacle proved that. And now? Now I... I can only hope that there is still a way, some way, for me to do something _good _with my life."

"Of course, there is!" Bruce said as he reached out a hand to touch her shoulder. "And you have done plenty of good already! Think of how many we saved together during the Battle. You can and will do more. Trust me, Nat."

Natasha looked up, meeting Bruce's earnest gaze silently for a few moments before she smiled. Bruce smiled back, dropping his hand back to his side.

"Thank you," she said sincerely as she looked between the two men. "Both of you. That means a lot to me."

"Don't thank us yet," Tony said with a smirk, taking another sip of his drink, "you might end up regretting joining us for different reasons. Still, it's good to have you on the team Red. We'll do a lot of good together. Promise."

Natasha chuckled and shook her head in amusement at Tony's antics. A soft smile remained on her lips as they drifted on to other topics, and she could honestly say that she felt happy just then. Genuinely happy.

It was a good feeling.

* * *

_This chapter has been edited by Arei-The Peridot Dragon_


	24. Natural disaster

Loki took great care to not slip up while around the others. The work he did with Bruce and Tony was often very tiresome, though that was mostly because there were times that the two mortals were too slow to pick up on the specifics for Loki's liking. Still, he recognized the need to allow the pair to figure some things out on their own instead of spelling it out for them. Allowing the pair to perform the necessary mathematical equations on their own or 'as a group' rather than simply handing out answers like they were a children's treat was very, nay extremely, important. He needed to 'build good rapport' with them after all.

Sadly there were times when it felt like _forever _for Bruce and Tony to finally arrive at the obvious conclusions. Not that he ever _let _them see his frustration.

Thankfully, Loki had thought up an excellent way of dealing with the boredom during these times. He could simply escape into his own mind, building little 'what if' scenarios in his head. Thor was sure to show up sooner or later, after all. Once he did, then there would finally be someone that he could gloat to. Or at.

One particular fantasy played over and over again in his mind; Thor would walk in on the pair of mortal scientists as they were working and then pause and marvel at the progress they had made. He would then turn to them, all wide-eyed and gaping mouth before asking them, 'My dear mortal friends, how did you figure all of this out on your own?' in an awed voice. From there, the two mortals would start to talk about Robert. About _him_. They would gush over how amazing and brilliant he was. That he was a Genius! An absolute _marvel_ and handsome on top of it all.

From there, Thor would likely seek Loki out to meet the 'genius named Robert,' and find him in a seemingly empty room filled with equipment. In this little fantasy, Loki would have his own private lab, of course. It would take the buffoon a moment to spot Loki casually laying down on one of the work tables... or perhaps not. No. He would likely have to nonchalantly gain Thor's attention by saying... hmm, maybe something like 'Well met, Thor Odinson' would do. With a little bit of heat so that Thor would recognize him as Loki.

Oh, and just how shocked would his _brother _be by that revelation? The fool would stand there. Oh yes. With his jaw dropped and his eyes so wide as to almost pop out of their sockets, of course! Loki could see it so perfectly in his mind's eye. Since Thor would be too dumbfounded to talk at that point, he should say something else. Something like, 'What is the matter, Thor? Did you really think that the mortals of Midgard were smart enough to figure any of this out on their own? Ha! And isn't it funny how easily your little friends came to depend on a _power _far greater than their own?' would do nicely.

By that point, Thor would likely have recovered enough to give him that confused, lost little puppy dog look of his. Loki would smirk at him, making sure to tilt his head just so for Thor to see Loki's bright green eyes and then taunt the other man further by saying, 'Your dear friends now consider me to be a loyal and dependable ally you know. They all but gave me the keys to their world. Gift wrapped no less! How fickle and fragile these Humans are. Isn't it just so kind of them, _brother_?' in a smug tone.

He'd turn over then, onto his stomach and bracing his chin in one hand as he smiled smugly in Thor's direction. From there, Thor would get upset. Of course, he would! His eyes would mist up with barely contained tears of either sorrow or frustration, maybe even a little bit of anger. Loki would then taunt him by saying, 'What are you going to do now, Thor? Hm? Try to tell them who I am? Ha! That won't work, and you know it. They won't believe you!' and enjoy laughing in his face! That would really anger the big Oaf. Enough to even make him yell, hmm, yes... he would bark out something along the lines of 'You shall free them of your spell now Loki!' in that 'I'm a big man, listen to me' voice of his all while accusing Loki of using Mind-control on his 'precious' friends.

Loki would then laugh in his face, maybe leap off the table and get nose to nose with his 'dear brother' before hissing out, 'But Thor, do you not remember that I have no magic right now thanks to Odin? It's not like I would _need _magic to enslave the Humans anyway. I just need to dangle the right incentives in their faces, and they fall right into my hands.' before laughing coldly. His laughter would only grow more chilling, enhanced by the helpless look that would no doubt be on Thor's face. Thor's despair would only grow as he realized that it was _Loki_ who was controlling events _as he pleased_.

Ah, such a thing would be satisfying indeed.

Still, that was simply Loki's personal fantasy about how it all would go down. The Avengers level of adoration in said imaginings was likely far greater than it could ever be in real life. Still, it was _his _secret little day-dream. As such, he could imagine whatever the Hel he wanted. He _did _want to make as much of it come to fruition as possible in reality.

The entire scenario was playing through Loki's mind once more while he was standing behind Tony and Bruce. The pair of men had their heads bowed over their current project. Tony turned back to look at Loki and snickered softly. The noise pulled Loki from his thoughts, and he looked up at the other male.

"What?" he asked with a raised brow.

"You're doing it again," Tony said with a grin.

"I can't help it," Loki responded, lying through his teeth. "I'm as excited as you are!"

That little lie had become his explanation for his habit of standing with a distant look in his eyes and a grin on his lips. Better for them to think that he was lost in a fantasy of future scientific discoveries than what he was really doing. Tony smirked and twirled a tool between his fingers.

"I know that feeling!" he said as he turned back to the device. "New technology like this is... it's just... so _cool_!"

"It really is," Bruce said as he nodded his head in agreement. Even he was excited by their recent findings.

Loki smiled to himself. As the Midgardian's said, 'another bullet dodged' and all that. He closed his eyes once more, pulling back to mind Thor's sad, pathetic face. The imagined despair that his precious friends were loyal now to Loki more than they were Thor. Oh, he couldn't _wait _for that day to arrive. It would be glorious! It would be-

The electric doors suddenly opened wide, and a booming voice sounded through the lab.

"WELL MET MY FRIENDS!" the familiar voice shouted. At the top of the person's lungs no less.

Loki froze where he stood in shock, eyes still shut tight. He missed seeing Tony and Bruce looking up to see the visitor, smiles on their lips. His thoughts were locked in a shocked loop.

_No. No, it cannot be,_ Loki thought to himself frantically. _Please don't be him!_

"Thor! Good to see you, Point Break! How ya been?" Tony asked with a laugh, casually tossing the tool in his hand to the side. "Robert! You're going to love meeting this guy!"

Loki's eyes were still pinched shut, his back to Thor, and his thoughts racing wildly.

_No, _Loki thought frantically. _No, no, no! _

"Is this a new friend, friend Stark?" Thor asked, his voice sounding so happy and curious.

_Nonononono! _Loki growled in his mind to try to cut off his frantic line of thought. _Fu- This was _**_not _**_how this was supposed to go!_

"Yup!" Tony said happily, blissfully unaware of 'Robert's' plight. "Robby-boy here figured out that you guys were probably aliens from space _years _ago. He's been obsessed with you guys since. So much so that he actually entered battle zone during the attack on New York just to get a closer look! My kind of guy, ya know? Look at this, Rob! It's the Space-Viking himself! Exciting stuff, right?"

Tony turned to look at Loki and fell silent when he noticed how still he'd become. He shrugged and looked back at Thor.

"Eh, give him a sec big guy," he said with a grin. "I bet he's just overwhelmed by the thought of meeting you."

Loki mentally growled at himself, eyes still shut. Things could still work the way he wanted them to. He could salvage this, this _mess_. He had his silver tongue to fall back on. His cleverness. He... he could make Thor feel despair and leave Tony and Bruce utterly confused by what was going on around them. Of course, he could! He was Lie-smith Loki, the Silver-tongued god of Asgard. He took in a careful breath and spoke.

"It is indeed an honor, Thor Prince of Asgard," he said in a quiet tone as he turned around, lifted his head and opened his eyes.

Upon seeing his face, Thor's eyes flew open in shocked recognition, and his mouth dropped open. Loki smirked slightly. That was better. Expected even. Thor standing there, utterly silent, with his mouth gaping like a hooked fish and surprise written clearly over his face and body? Yes. Much better. Loki forced himself to relax as much as possible as the other two, Bruce and Tony, looked back and forth between them in confusion.

Thor, of course, had to ruin it all. His expression of shock faded to one of joy. He lifted his arms, a massive smile on his face, and shouted loud enough that Loki wouldn't have been surprised to find out he'd woken citizens back on Asgard!

"YESSS!" he hollered.

Loki blinked rapidly in surprise and quickly tried to collect himself.

"Thor of Asgard," he said, working to keep his tone free of the confusion and aggravation that he was feeling. "I-"

And that was as far as he got. Thor took three quick steps forward, right into Loki's personal space, and then just... just _picked him up and held him in a crushing hug! _In front of the _Humans_!

"Well met friend Robert! Well met indeed!" Thor boomed, laughing and... and _crying _even as Loki struggled to get free by wriggling about like a snake. Sadly, he was hopelessly trapped in his _brother's_ firm grasp.

"What are you doing?!" Loki shouted in anger and confusion even as his thoughts raced wildly.

_Why Thor _**_Why_**_?!_ he thought despairingly. _Why do you always have to ruin everything! Put me down! Put me down right _**_now_**_, you big oaf or so help me...!_

Tony and Bruce continued to stand there looking dumbfounded by the interaction between their otherworldly friend and new scientist buddy. They shared a confounded look before Tony turned back to them and coughed into his hand to get their attention. They both looked at him, Thor happy and 'Robert' looking grumpy as hell, and he waved a hand at them in a circular motion.

"So... do you two, like," Tony hesitated before plowing on, "know each other or something?"

Thor _finally _let Loki go, and the taller man turned to face Tony fully. Loki, in comparison, was hopelessly trying to get his clothes and hair back into some semblance of order.

"Nay! It is simply that I am always happy to make new friends!" Thor said with a grin.

Loki was almost pleased with the Oaf's willingness to maintain his cover, but then the idiot had to turn to give him a very big, very _obvious _wink. Loki let out a faint, disgruntled hiss and squint-glared at Thor before turning away from the group. Once his back was to the others, he scowled openly and muttered a few curses under his breath.

"Right... well, you've always been an exuberant kind of person Point Blank," Tony admitted with a laugh and a shake of his head. He coughed into his hand a second later and waved at 'Robert's' turned back before leaning closer to Thor. "But, erm, next time you want to make new friends, keep something in mind? Picking them up first thing like that is _not_ how we do things here on Earth, okay? Handshakes are a thing here, buddy."

Loki glared at the wall, listening, but not entirely paying attention to the conversation behind him. Instead, he was still trying to think of a way to turn things around to _his _benefit and not Thor's.

"Noted, Friend Stark," Thor said with another laugh.

He then clapped Loki on the back so harshly that he nearly fell over. Loki caught himself and pinned the big Oaf with a quick glare. Thor, in turn, looked surprised, and then briefly sheepish. It was apparent that he had forgotten about Loki's reduced strength. Such a friendly clap to the shoulder wouldn't have budged him in the slightest had he been at full strength. Thor offered him a sheepish grin before crossing his arms, eyes still locked on Loki's.

"So then, tell me. What does friend... _Robert_," he said, clearly empathizing Loki's assumed name to the point that Loki wanted to facepalm, "do to help you?"

"Ah! So glad you asked!" Tony said, always eager to talk about technology. He waved his hand back toward their equipment. "We're trying to locate any and all of the Gamma space crap that has been dropped here on Earth over the years."

"..." Thor blinked and looked at Tony. "Eh?"

Loki had to bite his tongue to avoid snapping out a blistering answer. Better... better to just let Bruce and Tony handle things at the moment. He couldn't guarantee that he wouldn't start insulting Thor and acting 'out of character' around the two scientists.

"You remember the last time you were here?" Bruce asked, interjecting before Tony could go on a technical rant. "I told you about the energy readings coming off of the Tesseract, the Mind Staff, and Malakith, right?"

Thor nodded, and Bruce continued.

"Right," the good-natured doctor said with a smile. "So, we are trying to figure out if there is anything else like that on Earth. And if there is, we need to work out what we will do with it after we find and collect it."

"And... friend Robert is helping you with this?" Thor asked, turning his eyes back to Loki.

Loki simply gave up at that point, _beyond _fed up with it all, and looked away again.

"Yup!" Tony said with a grin. "He's a specialist, like Bruce and I."

Thor smiled softly at that and nodded his head, "I see."

_No! Obviously, you don't, you big Oaf!_ Loki thought angrily to himself. _I am allowing them the privilege of leading me to these items. _**_I _**_am not helping _**_them_**_! _**_They _**_are helping _**_me_**_!_

"If he has earned your approval, Friend Stark, then he must be good," Thor said, clapping Loki on the shoulder lightly.

Loki glanced over at Thor and frowned. Thor's eyes looked so soft, filled with warmth and hope. It was sickening to Loki to be the focus of such a gaze.

"I am glad, truly glad, to find you here... Robert," Thor said.

As Thor chuckled in amusement, Loki turned his head away once more. At that point, he wished he was allowed to just... to just die. This whole farce had been nothing but embarrassing!

_Please... someone... just kill me, _Loki thought with a mental wail._ I don't care any more. Just make this disaster end!_

Sadly, no such mercy was granted to the fallen Prince of Asgard. Once again, Thor had managed to ruin all of Loki's plans.


	25. Meaning of worth

Loki found himself feeling unsure whether or not he should consider it a blessing or a _curse _that Thor was acting wiser than Loki thought he would upon seeing him ensconced among his allies.

Firstly, Thor had _not _given away Loki's true identity to his allies as he had expected. Oh, it was true that Thor gave him the occasional nudge, and that damned _wink _when he'd first shown up, but he never actually addressed him by his true name. Nor did Thor allude to any of their prior interactions. Even while laughing and boasting about the current going's on back on Asgard, being his usual, boisterous self, he never once slipped up and called Loki by his name, or referred to him as brother.

And to say that Loki had listened intently on _all _of the conversations that the Oaf had to stop him if he showed signs of saying anything stupid and giving him away was an understatement.

Secondly, when Loki and Thor briefly found themselves alone in an isolated hallway, Thor _still _didn't say anything. Instead, he smiled and subtly hinted at one of the many cameras dotting the hall. Loki had been shocked. That Thor was smart enough to have realized that the entire tower was under surveillance was... surprising.

_Well then,_ Loki thought to himself with a huff. _Perhaps Thor actually has two whole brain cells to work with instead of just the one I'd assumed him to have. Now, if the Oaf could just stop looking so_**_ stupidly happy all the damned time_**_, that would be wonderful. _

As it turned out, Thor had indeed shown up just for a friendly visit. He'd wanted to see how Earth itself was holding up and find out if they, his friends or the people of the planet, needed any Asgardian assistance. He had also stopped to visit one 'Jane Foster,' whom he had gotten to know during his Exile.

Sadly, a pattern that Loki was all too familiar with began to emerge. Thor's mere presence, with his broad smile and booming voice, made all others nearby cheer up. Soon enough, they would smile and laugh in turn. It was as if Thor's essence had some magical property to it that made people _happy_. That made people _adore _the Oaf.

Thankfully, Loki found himself spared from the usual response that Asgardian's gave the muscle-bound blonde. All googly eyes and simpering smiles. Instead, the Avengers seemed... mostly to be amused, or perhaps _bemused_, by Thor's exuberant personality. It was as if he were an oddity amongst them, welcome yes, but confusing all the same. They would even shake their heads at some of his more simple observations and smile at each other.

Indeed, what surprised Loki was when they would blatantly _make fun of_ Thor. They, Tony especially, would crack jokes at Thor's expense. To his face, even! Something that would _never _have been allowed to happen on Asgard. No Asgardian, not one _soul_, would dare to make fun of Odin's Golden Princeling. Well, no one except for _Loki_, but that was something people expected. Loki had often made fun of the 'prodigal son of Odin,' only to get scorned for it later on by others.

What really shocked Loki, though, was Thor's _reaction _to being made fun of by the Avengers.

Loki _knew _Thor. Before witnessing his interactions with the Avengers, he would have sworn to all and sundry that Thor did _not_ take well to being made fun of. That the Oaf would not tolerate _any _such showing of disrespect. That Thor would get angry and tell off those who dared say such things, perhaps even threaten or challenge them to a fight to correct the _slight _against his honor. Loki and Thor had often gotten into arguments over the blonde's temper.

Now, however? He... just laughed it off and bantered back, his tone remaining friendly. Cordial, even. It was... _odd_, to say the least. Even the worst of Tony's colorful and clearly condescending comments were shrugged off. Either Thor was too stupid to notice Tony's insults to his pride or... or he was honestly just letting it slide.

At first glance, Loki was inclined to believe it was the former, but then... Thor started to respond in kind. One seemingly biting little comment from Tony about Thor's muscle-bound nature was countered expertly by Thor teasing the other man about his lack of self-care and awareness. A counter that was proven accurate when Tony turned away in a supposed huff, walked into one of his robots, called Dum-E, and almost fell flat on his face. Much to everyone's amusement.

Thor... knew exactly what they were doing. Was _playing along_ with their banter.

That... wasn't like Thor.

That wasn't like him _at all_.

Loki ended up staring at Thor warily for a long time as the others interacted with each other. Thor glanced back toward Loki at one point, as if feeling the other man's gaze. Their eyes met, and Thor grinned at him. Loki huffed and turned his head away, breaking the gaze.

_Right then, _Loki thought darkly._ Thor is just putting on a dumb act, trying to show me that he's changed. That he's 'grown up' or what have you. As these pathetic Humans are fond of saying, I am not buying what you're selling, Thor. Now go away!_

Eventually, Thor announced to everyone that he was going to take a walk around town. To get some 'fresh air' or whatever. Loki glanced up then to make some sort of passably acceptable farewell when Thor pinned him with a 'Look.'

A thousand years of such communication learned on and off the battlefield was not so easily forgotten or ignored. That single 'look' told Loki all he needed to know. He was to go with Thor. The Oaf wouldn't take 'no' for an answer, and there was little to no way to avoid Thor without causing a scene.

Fine. That was... fine. Without the Avengers around, Loki would finally be able to reveal his plan. Perhaps he'd even be able to gloat a bit and knock Thor out of whatever hopeful dream he'd cooked up in his head regarding Loki's presence with the Avengers. Though, if he was honest with himself, he'd rather lost hope on that front.

"I'll join you," he said, stifling a put-upon sigh. "I could use some fresh air myself."

Thor feigned surprise and clapped him on the shoulder. Gently this time.

"Truly?" he said with a grin. "How wonderful, friend Robert."

"I'll come too," Natasha said, standing up and stretching a little.

"There is no need, Lady Romanoff," Thor assured her with a small smile. "I would like to spend more time getting to know my newest Earth friend."

_Don't scowl… _**_don't _**_scowl…_ Loki thought to himself, brow twitching. _And don't spit in his stupid face!_

Natasha hesitated a bit but finally nodded and sat back down. Once Thor and Loki had left the room, she turned to look at the others with a small frown.

"Those two know each other," she pointed out bluntly.

"We know," everyone else in the room said in perfect unison, up to and including Jarvis. Natasha snorted softly in amusement.

* * *

As Thor and Loki exited the tower, Thor proved once more that he was just a smidge smarter than Loki would have liked to credit him with. Rather than immediately start talking to him, he instead stayed silent and guided Loki to what looked like a run-down bar. Thor glanced inside and then nodded in satisfaction, gesturing for Loki to follow him as he entered the building. Once within, Thor walked over to the bartender and asked if there were any closed-off rooms for privacy. The bartender smiled and offered them the use of a room in the back meant for private parties and corporate meetings. Thor thanked the man and then ordered up two large beers, which were poured swiftly. The bartender then directed them to the room in question, and Thor started off down the hall, beers in hand and a smile on his face.

The room in question was quite large, fitted with a huge, narrow table and chairs enough to seat up to twenty-four Humans. Thor sat down at the end closest to the door and placed the second beer in front of the seat directly across from him. He gestured for Loki to take a seat and smiled winningly at him. Loki, however, did not sit down and instead stayed by the now-closed door with his arms crossed. Thor shrugged and grinned, looking away and taking a small sip of his drink.

"Well... that _was_ a surprise, finding you with the others," he started slowly before chuckling. "But it was a wonderful one. Neither Father, Mother, nor Heimdal would tell me what had happened to you or where you were at a given time. Words... they cannot appropriately describe how happy and relieved I am to find you safe and well."

Thor looked back over at him, and Loki could see that his eyes were glimmering with the beginnings of unshed tears. Loki was so very, very glad that he no longer needed to pretend to be 'Robert' at the moment. As such, he groaned openly at Thor's expression, throwing his head back and rubbing at his forehead as he glared at the ceiling.

"Are you _quite _done?" he asked in a snappish, resigned tone.

"To think," Thor started with another chuckle, "that you of all people would join the Avengers!"

"I have _not _'joined the Avengers,' Thor!" Loki snapped back firmly. "They just happen to be the greatest technological resource this stupid planet has! I am _using _those fools to benefit me!"

Thor raised an eyebrow at him.

"Really?" he asked doubt ringing in his voice despite the fact that he was _still_ smiling.

"Why, Thor? Does that surprise you?" Loki grinned, his voice turning silky-smooth. This was the perfect time to wipe that _stupid _grin off of Thor's face. "The mortals are here for me to use as I please even now. Your so-called friends are nothing but my pawns."

Thor's other brow rose to meet the first, a completely clueless expression on his face... and then he shrugged. _Shrugged_!

"If you say so," he said, turning back to his beer.

"Would you _listen _to me!" Loki shouted, stepping away from the door and slamming his hands down on the table. "I am using them to guide me towards the few items on Earth that would have any value to me."

Thor looked up, seemingly not startled by Loki's outburst, and met his gaze head-on.

"Alright. What for?" he asked bluntly.

"What... what do you mean, 'what for'?!" Loki snapped back. "With the power held within such items, Earth and many other realms would be mine to rule as I see fit!"

Thor frowned in thought and then _shrugged again_ before taking another sip of his beer.

"That seems like a very roundabout way of going about it," he admitted to Loki.

Loki growled, containing a frustrated shout and slapped a hand over his face. Had Thor always been this blasted thick? Seriously? Perhaps Loki had been wrong regarding his observations this day. Thor was just... a stupid Oaf. And yet, Thor was smiling as he looked at Loki over the rim of his glass.

"It's going to be good to have you home again, brother," he said in a soft tone.

"What in the world are you talking about, Thor?" Loki asked, his voice muffled by his hand.

"You are here, helping to defend Earth," Thor said, his grin widening. "That alone must lead to a sure-fire way of proving you worthy. Likely quite soon as well."

Loki's hand fell away from his face, and he stared, astounded and dumbfounded, at Thor.

"What?" he asked in a deadpan voice.

"You heard me," Thor said, that infuriating smile still on his lips. "You should soon have a chance to prove yourself worthy."

For a long moment, Loki continued to look at Thor in geniene, honest shock. A smile flickered over his lips a moment later, laughter bubbling up uncontrolled from his throat.

"Ha... haha...hahahaha! Worthy?" he asked, still laughing. "You think that I should try and prove myself _worthy_?!"

Thor blinked at Loki in confusion.

"Isn't that why you-?" he started, only to be cut off.

"Is that what you really think is going on here?" Loki asked, his laughter turning cold.

"Wait," Thor blinked again, straightening in his chair. "You... have you not yet even attempted to prove yourself worthy?!"

"Why, in the 'All-Father's name,' would I even _try_?" Loki snapped back bitterly.

"You haven't!?" Thor asked as he stood up. "Loki, why? Is it merely to spite Odin and I? Loki you..."

Thor sighed and raised his hands imploringly.

"Loki," he began again in a gentler tone. "You need only prove yourself worthy. That is all. And then you can come _home_."

"Even if it were that _stupidly _simple," Loki started with a sneer. "I will never return to Asgard. Not unless you're willing to bow to me and give me the throne that is my _right_."

"Oh, brother," Thor shook his head and dropped his hands as if resigned. "You truly have a long way to go yet, don't you?"

"We are _not _brothers," Loki hissed at him, almost by reflex.

"It is alright," Thor said gently, ignoring Loki's snapping. "I shall wait patiently for the day that you are ready to prove yourself worthy once more. Whether it be a hundred or a thousand years from now, I shall wait and keep the gates of Asgard open for you."

"Oh Thor, you do amuse me. You know that, yes?" Loki said with another dark, bitter chuckle. "As if I, Loki, The Great _Liesmith_, could ever prove myself worthy enough to meet the high standards of Odin the _All-Father_."

Thor tilted his head, meeting Loki's eyes once more.

"Wake _up_, Thor!" Loki demanded with a snarl, hand slashing through the air to make his point. "To act as if that goal was _ever _within my reach is naught but a cruel joke! Do you not see it? You would have me be willing to sacrifice myself, my life, and the core of who I am, to save these mortals of yours? You would have me be a paragon of _honesty _and _selflessness_? I, whom they call the God of Lies, Chaos, and Trickery!? That is not in my nature!"

"There is more than one way to prove yourself worthy," Thor insisted gently.

Loki snorted in frustration and turned his back on Thor.

"Brother," Thor started gently, taking a step towards Loki and reaching out with one hand. Loki twisted out of range of his grasp.

"Do not dare touch me," Loki said with a demanding hiss. "And we are _not _brothers, you fool."

Thor went still, hesitating for a moment, and then stepped back, allowing his hand to fall back to his side.

"You continue to be your own worst enemy Loki," Thor said with a soft sigh. Loki barked out a cold laugh.

"Feeling _pity_, are we now Thor?" he asked. "When it is by your own suggestion that I am even here? Like this?"

"Loki-" Thor tried to speak, but Loki cut him off, spinning around to face him and once more slashing at the air with his hand.

"NO!" Loki shouted, eyes burning with anger. "That Odin took away your powers was well deserved. They were powers gifted to you by Odin at your birth! You did not have to work and toil for them! My illusions? My magic? Those were _not _a gift handed to me on a golden platter! It took a thousand years of study to master my craft. Each and _every _single trick was earned through hard work and _effort_! They were _not _for you to throw away, Thor!"

"Loki, your powers were not thrown away," Thor said, letting out a heavy sigh. "You need only earn the right to access those tricks, that magic, once more."

"I already told you, that_ cannot happen,_" Loki seethed, voice hissing through clenched teeth. "I should 'prove myself worthy'? Worthy of _what_?! As if there was_ ever a chance that I could PROVE MYSELF WORTHY IN ODIN'S EYES!"_

Loki's voice ended in a shout as he spun around and grabbed the nearest chair, flinging it at Thor's head. Thor merely reached out and caught the damned thing before it could hit his face. Rather than throw it aside, or back at Loki, he set the chair down gently.

"Do not break any of the furniture in here, Loki," he instructed in a damnably calm voice.

"As if you are one to talk about breaking the furniture!" Loki fumed, kicking a nearby chair toward Thor. Once more, Thor remained unmoved and simply moved the chair aside gently.

_Why... why is Thor acting like this?_ Loki thought angrily. _Why isn't he losing his temper as well, like he usually does? _

Thor was the one notoriously known for losing his temper, not Loki. And yet, here they were. Loki, angry enough to break everything in the room and Thor standing there like an unmoving rock facing a storm. Why weren't his eyes filled with despair, or sadness, or anger?! How was he remaining so... so steadfast in the face of Loki's rage? This... this was not the Thor that Loki knew. Worst still was the damned look of _pity _in Thor's eyes. A look that only stoked Loki's fury to greater heights. Thor finally broke the growing silence with a deep sigh, letting his eyes fall shut.

"I see. You are not yet ready. It will be okay. That is why you are here, after all. You'll get there eventually," Thor said softly, opening his eyes and smiling faintly at Loki. Loki sneered in response. Thor coughed into his hand and pressed on. "Erhm... Look, Loki. I am really, truly glad to have found you. There are things that I have wanted to say to you that I did not have a chance to say before."

Loki snorted at his words and turned away once more, crossing his arms and glaring at the far wall of the room.

"Right then... I just..." Thor's voice stuttered to a halt for a moment before he shouldered on. "Look, I know that in the past I have not always been a.. a good brother to you. Or... well, a good person in general. My arrogance and foolishness, it... I was an idiot, and I am sorry for that. I dragged you along on so many 'adventures' even when you'd said _no_. I rarely considered your feelings or... or even bothered to _thank _you for what you did for us when you dragged us out of many a mess that I made. I wish to do better. I wish to _be _better. And... and I would like to mend our broken bonds if at all possible."

"What 'bonds' do you speak of?" Loki asked coldly. "We are not related."

"Loki," Thor closed his eyes and let out another sigh before speaking firmly. "You are here, now, because you committed a crime. Afterward, you refused to work with us. You cannot put the blame for your actions on me. Please, Loki, just _try_? I truly believe you have it within you to prove yourself. You _can _do this, Loki."

"Do _not _mock me further still," Loki said scathingly as he turned to pin Thor with a burning glare.

Thor met that glare with an air of steadfast resignation about him. He sighed a few moments later.

"I see. You won't listen to me. At least not at this time," he said softly. "That's... that's okay. I'll wait. When you are ready, I will be here to listen."

Thor turned and picked up his beer glass, emptying it in one go. He lowered the glass, drying his mouth with the back of his hand. He nodded a moment later.

"The Avengers are good people," Thor said calmly. "Be aware, they are not as easily fooled as you might think. I shall not meddle with your plans, as I assume that if you were doing anything that might bring Harm to any Humans, that Heimdal would have already punished you by now."

Loki huffed angrily. He remembered all too well how it felt to have Heimdal's voice booming inside of his skull.

"I will crush the Human's myself when the time is right," Loki said as confidently as possible.

Thor shook his head and let out a bemused noise.

"You tried that when you were at full power," he pointed out gently. "What makes you think that you would be able to do so now?"

Thor's response made Loki hiss like a cat whose tail had been trodden upon. He did so hate being caught out in a lie. Thor did not prod further but frowned and changed the subject abruptly.

"You have yet to tell us whose army you were controlling," Thor said gently. "Whose eyes are on Earth?"

Loki turned his gaze back to the far wall and remained silent.

"Even if you will not do it for the Earth and its' people, your sense of self-preservation would still guide your hand to prepare Earth for danger," Thor smiled openly once more. "After all, you live here now."

Loki remained silent, not deigning to lower himself to counter Thor's statement. Instead, he continued to fume. Thor shook his head once more and started for the door.

"I shall see you soon, I'd imagine," he said in lieu of a farewell.

Once the door was shut, Loki kicked one of the chairs so that it hit the wall nearest the door hard and fast.

_Why, now of all times, did Thor decide to grow a damned brain?! Since _**_when _**_had he become such a... such a smarty-pants?! URGH!_ Loki grabbed his face and growled in frustration. Y_ou think you're better than me, Thor?! Go wipe that look of pity off of your face, you damned _**_fool_**_. I don't need _**_you_**_! I don't need the aid of _**_Asgard_**_! I can handle this myself!_


	26. Normalcy

It was with a heavy heart that Thor made his goodbyes to the Avengers. Loki had not been with them. He had, in fact, avoided Thor for the remainder of the blonde's stay at the tower. Honestly, Thor was not in the least bit surprised. Thankfully, all of his other friends had arrived to see him off. Tony, Steve, Natasha, Bruce, and even Clint. It truly warmed Thor's heart to see how the group had grown. A rag-tag team of former strangers had banded together, recognized each other's worth, skill, and value.

And then there was Loki...

Thor let out a deep sigh and forced himself not to worry overmuch. There was hardly a better group of people that Loki could have integrated with. Especially if he was to be taught a lesson about the _good _that Humanity had to offer. Thor turned his attention back to said friends and smiled warmly at them.

"Do not forget my friends; if any danger hails from beyond your realm, call on me through Heimdall. I shall come at once to aid you. Do not fear," Thor said to them in an assuring tone.

"That's good to know, big guy," Tony said with a smile of amusement. His grin faltered not even a moment later, however.

"Friend Stark, is something wrong?" Thor asked, his own expression becoming more serious. "Tell me what is on your mind?"

"Look, Point Break... I..." Tony let out a gusty sigh and mussed his hair. "The rest of us had a talk. You _know _'Robert,' don't you?"

Thor fell silent and declined to answer. Though, really that in and of itself was answer enough, wasn't it? Thor sighed as he realized that and then slowly nodded his head.

"Yeah, thought so. You took Rob out of the tower deliberately to talk to him in private, yeah?" Tony asked with a small grin.

"I... supposed that was me giving things away," Thor chuckled and smiled apologetically at his friend before falling silent once more.

"Okay, I'm going to level with you Point break. We _don't _need to know what the two of you were talking about. Hell, we don't even need to know how the two of you know each other. I mean, everyone here has their own shitty background, right?" Tony said, looking around at the others. Everyone nodded in response, and he turned back to Thor. "Right. So... what we _do _need to know is one thing; Can Robert, or whatever his name is, be _trusted_?"

Thor hesitated, and for a good reason. Tony's question was, in fact, far more complicated than he would have liked to admit. There was no straight 'yes' or 'no' answer to that question. And yet, Thor felt that he owed his friends an honest answer. He sighed, frowned, and crossed his arms in thought.

"Thor?" Natasha pressed in a gentle tone. They needed an answer.

"Robert..." Thor hesitated again and closed his eyes, working on how to answer as he spoke. "Robert's greatest foe is himself. He is brilliant, just like all of you. As an ally, he is _invaluable_. Again, like all of you are. He is, however, in constant danger... from _himself_."

He let out another heavy sigh and opened his eyes. He met each of his friend's gazes in turn. They were curious and, understandably, concerned.

"I... would consider it a great favor if you would continue to look over him for a while," he asked in a soft voice.

The fact that Thor had dodged the original question wasn't lost to any of the Avengers around him. Clint, Tony, and even Bruce frowned at his words. Steve and Natasha's expressions remained neutral, if curious.

"Did you actually meet him in New Mexico?" Clint asked abruptly, though his tone remained curious and friendly. "I don't believe that I saw him there, but I could be wrong. Several things were going on, after all."

"Believe it or not, Friend Barton," Thor started with a chuckle, "but New Mexico was _far _from my first trip to Midgard. However, any previous trips that my friends and I took were... hm, I believe the term nowadays would be 'joy rides?'"

That earned him a chuckle or a smile from the rest of the group. Bruce even facepalmed and muttered 'good grief' under his breath.

"You were just fooling around on Earth for the hell of it like a bunch of party-going _teenagers _on a road trip," Tony said in a mock-stern tone. He rolled his eyes and then punched Thor lightly on the shoulder and winked conspiratorially at him. "I get it."

Thor let out a soft snort of amusement. He knew Tony had previously had the same devil may care attitude until he'd become Iron Man. Thor's expression turned pensive, and he shook his head.

"I was... very ignorant and prone to anger back then," he said in a soft tone. He inclined his head. "I do apologize."

"I guess that makes sense, though," Tony admitted, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "I mean, if our friend Rob met Thor _years _ago, then that would have opened his eyes to the true nature of the Norse gods. Hell, it might have even made him obsessed with finding evidence to prove it to everyone. I know an experience like that, out of the blue, would have made me _beyond _obsessed."

"You're always obsessed with something, though," Bruce pointed out with a grin.

"Well, yeah, _duh_," Tony sniped back. "Technology is awesome!"

"It would also explain his caginess on telling us _precisely _how he found out about the Norse gods being aliens," Clint said thoughtfully.

"_And _his reaction when Thor showed up," Natasha said. "He was acting like a cat who'd had his tail stepped on and was wary it was about to happen again."

Thor shrugged and kept his expression blank. It would be best right now if he just allowed the Avengers to come up with their own theories. Loki himself had taught him the value of letting people reach their own conclusions and being able to say that he hadn't outright lied to anyone. Mind, Thor hadn't seen the value of such tactics until recently, but if it would keep Loki somewhat safe, then it was worth it.

"Thor did seem very friendly with him, though," Bruce said with a smile as he looked at Natasha. "It might just be a case of him trying to keep quiet about the circumstances of how he initially met Thor combined with him being surprised when Thor showed up out of the blue."

"Maybe," Natasha said with a thoughtful hum. "That _does _match his reaction."

"I also owe him one," Steve said as the pair fell silent.

"Yeah, you mentioned that," Tony said with a blink. "What exactly did he do again?"

Steve glanced away abruptly. He'd... not yet told the others about Bucky and how Robert had helped with his long-lost friend. The only one who knew anything about the mess at this point was Natasha, and she stepped forward to fill his sudden silence.

"Seriously, Tony?" she started with a cocky grin and a cant of her hips. "Are you suddenly getting forgetful in your dotage? Robert was the one to expose Hydra's activities, remember?"

She flashed Steve a reassuring smile as Tony let out a squawk of denial about his being forgetful. Steve returned the grin. Tony glared at the pair before letting out a huff and waving his hand.

"Right, _that_. It was probably a good thing that Robbie-boy exposed them," Tony said with a nod. He grinned openly this time. "Alright then! Can't deny that his work is top of the line too! I'll keep him!"

"He's not a _pet _Tony," Bruce said with a sigh.

Thor smiled warmly at his friend's words and antics alike as he relaxed.

"Thank you, my friends," he said softly.

"Since Thor isn't the least bit worried about Robert being here," Natasha said with an amused smile, "we'll be fine and make sure he feels welcome."

Thor nodded, gave them his thanks one more time, and then said farewell.

* * *

Once back on Asgard, he locked gazes with the golden-eyes of Heimdal.

"So," Heimdal started in a nonchalant tone, "you've finally run into him."

Thor nodded his head, smiling sadly at the other man, and stayed silent. There wasn't much that he could say to that.

"You handled yourself well, my Prince," Heimdal said softly, bowing his head to the blonde warrior. "You ought to be proud."

"Thank you, Heimdal," Thor replied with a nod. "I've realized that it is essential that I find my own path. In that regard, it may be that being separated from Loki may be... _good _for me."

Having said the words aloud, he paused and mulled on them for a moment before nodding his head firmly.

"Now that I think of it, I believe that it _will _be good for me, not simply _may _be," Thor said confidently. "More than that, I believe that Loki needs his time as well, to be away from me, Father, and even Mother. He, too, needs to find himself. To find his own path. As his brother, it is my desire, nay my obligation, to give him that which he needs, even if it hurts to not see him. I swear I will be there for him once he truly needs me again. In the meantime, I will walk my own path and, even if it takes a hundred years, our paths will cross once again. "

Heimdal smiled gently at his young Prince, again feeling proud that the younger warrior had come so far in such a short amount of time. Thor had much to learn yet, but he was _growing_.

"You have grown much wiser, my Prince," Heimdal said, offering him another small bow. Thor smiled in response and started for the door, only to hesitate and turn back to the other man. Heimdal raised a brow at him in question.

"Heimdal, do..." he paused and then pressed on. "Do you think that Loki was correct? That the promise that his powers would be returned to him once he proves himself worthy _was _just a cruel joke made by Father? I... I have difficulty believing that the All-father himself would do such a thing, but..."

"It was no joke, my Prince," Heimdal reassured him softly. "It is fully within Loki's power for him to prove himself worthy _if_ that is what he desires."

"Truly?" Thor breathed, eyes shining now with hope instead of worry.

"However," Heimdal continued in a cautioning tone, "it is a path he will have to choose for himself. At this time, he has not yet chosen to walk that path."

"Well then," Thor started thoughtfully before grinning widely, "we grow to be several thousand years old, compared to Humans. There is plenty of time to wait."

"Patience suits you, my Prince," Heimdal commented with a chuckle. "You've acquired yet another new trade."

"True, true," Thor said with a smirk before frowning. "If I were true to my feelings, and still my rash self, I would go back down there and shake some sense into Loki. _Demand _that he make a go at proving himself worthy right this minute. Yet... something tells me that would do no good. That such a thing is not what he needs right now, and that I would only drive him further from us."

Heimdal blinked, mildly surprised and amused, before nodding his head.

"That is indeed wise of you," Heimdal said gently. Thor flashed him another smile.

"With Loki no longer holding me back because I am losing my temper, with him not being here to ask me to see reason when I am about to act on impulse and even observe all the finer details that I do not usually see, I... I find myself forced to do so myself," Thor admitted softly, a hint of fondness in his voice. "I have to keep myself in check. I am in desperate need to learn and grow, not merely as a warrior, but as a person. A friend. A Brother. That's why I figured that for us both to improve, Loki and I need to be apart for a while. This... It pains me, but it is for the better. I still believe that we shall be stronger together when we are reunited at last, but that day is not today. Someday though, it will be."

"Your Mother will be please to hear you say that. It is what she always wished to see," Heimdal told him. He glanced to the side and then chuckled, waving Thor away. "Go now, my Prince. Your Mother waits for you as we speak."

Thor nodded and started for the doorway with a grin, he paused one last time, looking at Heimdal over his shoulder.

"Keep an eye on Loki for me, please," he asked.

"Both eyes," Heimdal said with a smile, "as often as I can spare them."

* * *

Back on Earth, in New York City, the sky had turned dark. Street and building lights alike lit up the city. Humans went about their business, walking the streets or stuck in traffic, headlights bright and horns blaring in the distance.

As opposed to all the bustle outside, Loki stood silent in his room. He was looking in the mirror, attention fixated on his green eyes. Thor's abrupt arrival had nearly driven him insane, but now? After he'd had a chance to calm down? Now he found that he was grateful. It had been a reminder to him. A reminder of who he really was.

Loki would not allow this Realm nor these Humans of Thor's to change him. Everything he did was an act, for he was Loki, the god of Mischief. Chaos was his willing servant, and the Humans were naught but ants beneath his heel. He would show them all.

His hands clenched as he thought of something else. _Someone _else. Thanos. The man was no god and never would be a god! He would defeat the titan his own way. Loki would use these willing Humans, the Avengers, to protect himself and best them all.

Odin. Thor. _Thanos_. They would all know that he, Loki, had bested them. Was _superior_ to them.

He needed no _help_. He just needed access to his pawns, the Humans he had surrounded himself with. The tools he would use for his own benefit. He smiled, a vicious thing that was all teeth and threat.

He would show them _all_.

* * *

Bruce stood outside one of the many large living-rooms that could be found in the tower. He rolled his shoulders and peeked inside. A certain red-headed woman was lying on a couch, her eyes shut. She looked exhausted. Thinking that she might be asleep, he coughed softly into his hand.

"Ahem," he tried, both hoping and fearing she was awake.

Natasha slowly opened her eyes and turned her head toward the door, meeting Bruce's gaze. Usually, she would smile right away or make some quip, but right now? She looked worn out. Bruce frowned gently in concern.

"Are... you okay, Nat?" Bruce asked, finally daring to step into the room and move toward the couch.

Natasha gave him a small smile.

"I'm fine. I'm just... really tired these days," she admitted softly.

"You've seemed more than a little stressed," Bruce admitted gently, earning himself a mock-angry pout from the woman. He coughed into his hand again. "Um, so have you ever seen **_A Night in the Opera_**?"

Natasha's pout faded into an amused smirk and knowing smirk. Bruce blushed lightly and rubbed at the back of his neck.

"It's a Marx Brothers movie," he explained, trying to keep any nervousness from his voice and likely failing. "A comedy."

"That's a _really _old movie, isn't it?" Natasha asked, still smirking.

"Yeah, it is. I used to watch it all the time with my dad," Bruce said, and he dared to take a step closer. He didn't actually sit down. "Then after the... well, you know, the _incident._ I... found that one of the best ways to relieve stress for me was to watch a funny movie. The dumber the movie, the better, you know?"

Natasha watched him as he spoke, the smirk fading to a gentler smile. She looked thoughtfully at the ceiling before letting out a soft hum.

"Watch a funny movie, huh?" Natasha repeated with a questioning hum. "Sounds like something normal people do."

"Honestly," Bruce started with a heavy sigh, "I would kill for just a little bit of normalcy."

"Yeah, me too," Natasha said with a sigh as she sat up and scooched to lean back on the arm of the couch. "Wouldn't it be nice? A normal little house somewhere peaceful, maybe the middle of the woods. No missions to kill someone. No infiltration routes needing to be secured. No big wars and bodies piling up. Just... peace and quiet."

"You've just described my ideal paradise," Bruce said with a small smirk.

He turned and walked over to the large tv and pulled a DVD out of his coat. Powering things on and popping the disc into the DVD player took only a couple moments. He grabbed the remote as the menu screen popped up and started for the couch. Natasha shifted her legs, giving Bruce room to sit down next to her.

And join her he did, though he sat next to the opposite arm to give her space. He leaned back and pressed a button on the remote. The movie started up.

'_I saw Mrs. Claypool first. Of course, her Mother really saw her first, but there's no point in bringing the Civil War into this.'_

The snappy voice of Groucho Marx filled the room as he started with his corny jokes, and Natasha let out a soft snort of amusement. Bruce smiled, both at the movie and having heard the noise she made. He glanced over as she openly laughed at the next joke.

"You know, Groucho reminds me of someone," Natasha said a little way into the movie, having both laughed openly at several of the jokes by now and having _relaxed_.

"Oh?" Bruce said, amused. "Who's that?"

"Tony!" Natasha exclaimed with a laugh and a wave of her hand. "They are totally the same 'kind' of smart ass!"

Bruce turned and blinked at her in confusion before his eyes widened.

"Oh, my god. You're right! They are! How did I not see that?" Bruce said with a choked laugh. Natasha laughed at his expression, and the next thing Bruce knew, her head was resting on his lap. He tensed, eyes wide for an entirely different reason now. "Erm... Uh... Natasha?"

He'd admit to _no one _that he almost squeaked and had only barely managed to avoid making the sound.

"Please, Bruce?" she asked in a soft voice. "I am so tired right now. Even if it's just for another hour, I want to feel _normal_. Even if just a tiny bit."

"Oh... okay," Bruce said with a small blink before he smiled gently. "Sure thing."

He leaned back and forced himself to relax. He could feel every chuckle she made this way. Even the silent ones vibrated gently against his leg. Eventually, he relaxed fully and smiled to himself. He had to admit that this was pretty nice.

Being 'normal' for just an hour, enjoying a silly movie with a friend, felt pretty darn good.


	27. Avengers assemble

After spending so much time on Midgard, Loki had come to several conclusions. The most important one? Humans made little to no sense. Especially the Avengers!

Loki had been spending the day doing his usual routine, work with Bruce to pinpoint strange energy readings across the planet, and see if they were a significant source of Gamma Radiation like the Tesseract or the Staff. It looked like they _might _have been getting somewhere on one particular reading, and then Tony burst into the room like a Human tornado. He'd rushed around the place to grab a few things, shouting over his shoulder.

"No time to waste, guys!" Tony yelled. "We gotta go go go!"

"Wha-" Bruce tried to ask, only to be cut off.

"I said _no time_!" Tony snapped back as he bee-lined toward the door. "We're going to Canada. _Now_! Suit up!"

Bruce had sighed in exasperation and started after the other man. Loki had found himself following along as he'd wanted to understand the _why _behind Tony's outburst.

Turned out, there was some guy wreaking havoc on a city by turning into a monster made of _sand_. Loki frowned as he watched the group get ready. This attack had absolutely nothing to do with them. Nor did it affect their current project. When Loki carefully asked why the Avengers were getting involved, he was told that S.H.I.E.L.D., who would generally make arrangements to handle such an incident, was currently not equipped to handle things. Given that they were stuck trying to purge their ranks of hidden Hydra agents, they couldn't trust that they were sending people who would _actually _help with the issue. And since there was no one else around with the power and knowledge needed to fight such a foe, it fell to the Avengers to help take down the threat.

Loki had a hard time seeing how that was in any way _their _responsibility. It wasn't their fault that this 'Canada' had failed to properly prepare for such an attack.

Thankfully as Loki wasn't considered a fighter. As such, he wasn't asked to join the rest of the group as they jumped onto Tony's 'borrowed' Quinjet and flew off to save the day. That suited him just fine. If the Avengers wanted to waste time playing the hero, who was he to stop them?

While they were stuck dealing with that mess, Loki found that he could work without interruption. Without anyone looking over his shoulder, he found that he could relax as he worked. Though he _did _keep a couple of screens up. The feed would him what the others were up to. Eventually, Pepper joined him in the room, though her focus was more on the screens than his work.

When the fight started, they would both be able to observe the visuals from Tony's current suit on the screen and talk to the group as needed.

Loki glanced at the woman and saw that her attention was focused on the screen. A crease marred her forehead as she spoke with the team, worry evident in her expression. Again, Loki had a hard time figuring out why she was so concerned. The group had _elected _to go on their little mission of their own free will after all.

_The call of 'Glory' and 'Adventure,'_ he thought to himself with a mental sneer. _Fools_.

"I still don't understand Tony," Pepper repeated for the nth time. "Why _you_?"

"Who else is there?" Tony asked in a dumbfounded tone as if it was obvious. The tone made Pepper sigh.

"You're an _inventor_, Tony. Not a soldier. Your inventions can and have done so much good. More so than..." she halted and let out another sigh.

"More than 'Iron Man?'" Tony said in a questioning tone. "That is what you were going to say, right?"

"Well... yes," Pepper admitted with a frown.

"Look, Pep," Tony started and then stopped, letting out his own sigh. "Look. We're on-site now. We can _help _these people. We can save lives."

"Tony, listen to me. Not every unfortunate event or attack is _your _fault. _This _attack is _not_ your fault, " Pepper shook her head as she pointed out the obvious. Loki shook his head, partially in agreement and somewhat in frustration, but did not speak up. "There's no need for _you _to get involved in this. Not really."

Tony scowled in annoyance and looked about ready to say something before he calmed himself. He glanced over Pepper's shoulder and seemed to notice him for the first time.

"It'll be okay, Pepper. I can do this," he said with a confidant smirk. "Rob, buddy, tell her."

"_Robert_," Loki corrected as he pushed his glasses back up his nose with his index and middle finger. If the middle finger was a little more visible than his index, well... "And I must agree with Pepper. You _legitimately _have nothing to do with this incident. A man who can _turn into sand_ is attacking the populace, not someone using _your _technology. Thus it is not your responsibility to fix anything. Furthermore, your greatest asset is your _mind_, not your physical strength. If you were wiser when it comes to delegating everyone to their own strengths, you would allow Steve, Bruce, Natasha, and Clint to handle it directly while providing aid remotely. Could your suits not even be piloted remotely? Besides, you have better things to spend your limited amount of time on."

At that, Tony gaped at the screen as if someone had smacked him upside the head. Pepper looked thoroughly amused and flashed Loki a grateful look. Loki stood a bit straighter and again shifted his glasses. He did _not _preen out of self-satisfaction.

"Well," Steve's voice sounded both tentative and confidant from the background. "I, for one, am happy that Tony is here. He's shown to have very unique abilities on the field, and that has been proven invaluable before."

"Thanks, Cap!" Tony exclaimed with a wide grin. "At least _someone _here is on my side."

"Although," Natasha started with a smirk, immediately killing Tony's grin and turning it into a frown. "_Sometimes, _he acts before he thinks. So, in reality, he just gets in the way. A lot."

Loki let out a sigh as Tony started squawking out a list of his 'accomplishments' in his own defense and walked over to the screens. He pressed a few buttons and let out a hum.

"You will be arriving in just under three minutes," he said, interrupting the Iron Man's tirade. "Might I suggest that you ready yourselves for combat?"

"Thanks, Robert," Steve said, voice going from kindly and teasing to stern in a heartbeat. "Okay, team! Listen up! Tony and I will go in first. Clint, Natasha, you're after us. Focus on observation and strategy to counter any threats. Bruce, you're our trump card. You'll stay here with the Quinjet unless otherwise ordered. We'll only need the Hulk as a last resort. Copy that everyone?"

"Suits me just fine," Bruce said with a relieved sigh. It sounded like he had just sat back down.

"Copy," Natasha and Clint said.

"You got it, Cap," Tony said eagerly. "Let's Rock 'n Roll! Hey, Bruce, just remember, if we need you out there-!"

"You're a huge fan of the way I go green and ragey, so don't feel bad about it," Bruce interrupted with a laughing sigh. "Yes. I know. Go on, off with you. Shoo!"

"Not _precisely _what I said, but meh, it'll do," Tony said with a laugh as the sound of his repulsors activating filled the air. "And I'm not a fly _or _a dog! Don't you 'shoo' me!"

"Enough," Steve interrupted sternly, "move out team!"

Personally, Loki was just glad these people were a couple of _hours _of flight away from him. He couldn't help but shudder faintly at the thought of the Hulk showing up once more and being _near _the brute as well. Pepper shook her head at the group's antics and walked over to the coffee machine installed in the wall. Loki hadn't been all that surprised to find that there was a coffee machine in nearly every room. Tony seemed to like the stuff. A lot. Loki imagined that Tony would have installed them in even the _bathrooms _had Pepper not put her foot down. She readied two cups of the expensive brew, only the best in Stark Tower, and brought them over. She didn't even bother to ask what brand that Loki wanted anymore, knowing that he liked a fresh cup of ground, Arabic beans. Black, no sugar or milk.

Loki had, in fact, tried out several brands of coffee before settling on his favorite. He'd always make a comment about the lack of flavor, acidity, and depth of the brew if it wasn't said brand.

Tony had actually been astounded to find out that Loki could tell the difference in the various coffee beans down to richness, sweetness, aroma, and the like. Tony had disbelieved him at first and had even tried to serve him different coffee brands, sometimes two, three times a day, claiming it was Loki's preferred blend to see if he would catch on to the trick. Loki would catch him after a single sip. Every single time. Tony just laughed and commented that his skills as a coffee connoisseur were nothing short of amazing.

Pepper said nothing about the fact that three to five cups of coffee in a day wasn't all that healthy. For either of the men.

"Why does he keep insisting on doing things like this?" Pepper asked with a frustrated, yet worried sigh.

"He's a bleeding-heart," Loki responded honestly, taking a sip of the fresh coffee.

A contented sigh escaped him, and Pepper smiled in amusement. Loki wasn't entirely sure what he'd said that was so funny to the woman and didn't want to press her. He wasn't keen on indulging in idle conversation.

"Heart,'" she commented softly as if the word held some special, magical meaning to her. She sighed again, not even a second later, and Loki's eye twitched.

"I wouldn't be too worried, Pepper," Loki said, tired of Pepper's heart-wrenching sighs. "They have already proven themselves to be a competent team. It's not like this new enemy is any more dangerous than what they have already faced after all."

Pepper stared at him with a raised brow for a moment before chuckling.

"I'm not sure if that was supposed to make me feel better or not," Pepper admitted with a wry grin.

"I... am merely stating the facts as they are," Loki said.

A commotion on the screen caught their attention. Tony and the Captain had arrived on the scene to confront their new foe. Their first contact with said foe did not go well, however. Said enemy could literally transform his entire body into sand. Any blast of energy sent his way by Tony missed as he simply made a hole for the beam to pass through. Steve's punches were likewise avoided. When Clint launched a few arrows from a safe distance, they too had little effect. Natasha alone avoided direct contact with the 'Sandman' and looked to be trying to figure out any possible weakness. The fight was dragging on and on. Pepper slowly became more of a wreck as worry caused her to start biting her lower lip. And Loki?

He was just getting bored.

They had better things to do than this! Not only that, but the guy they were fighting was also an absolute _joke_. Eventually, he had enough. Frustration filled him, and he moved over to start tapping away at the keyboard.

"HEY!? What the heck is going on!" Tony yelped as he flew around, trying to avoid the Sandman's attacks. "_ROB_!? The hell are you doing to my suit?! This is _my _suit! Build your own if you want one so damned bad!"

"I am merely borrowing the scanners in your suit for a bit," Loki responded in a dry tone.

If Tony bothered to check, he would see that yes, his suit was currently scanning and sending data to Loki regarding the molecular structure of the sand that their for was turning into. He frowned as he looked over the readings.

"Sooo… ya seeing anything interesting over there, Rob? Can I have my sensors back now?" Tony finally asked, sounding equal parts annoyed and curious.

Loki's frown only deepened. The scan came back as part-sand, part human molecules. Which was… _fantastic_. If this person was Human even in sand form, then he wasn't allowed to harm or _help_ harm, said individual. Neutralization it was then.

"Yes, actually. You can cut back on any electrical-based or heat-based attacks. They won't work, " Loki informed them.

"Huh. Okay," Tony fell silent for about a half-second before asking, "You think ice will work?"

"That might slow him down, but from these readings, it wouldn't last long, " Loki said as his fingers all but flew over the keyboard.

Pepper remained silent, watching Loki type and glancing at the screen from time to time. It was clear that she was following along. Abruptly, Loki froze, and his eyes flew wide.

"Oh! Of course! It's so simple!" Loki exclaimed with a laugh. "Oh, dear. That makes things almost too easy."

"What's easy?!" Tony all but snapped as he dodged another attack. "What do we need to do to being this guy down?!"

"Water, Tony, _water,_" Loki informed the other man, reigning back the smugness he was feeling. "He will not be able to control his own body with any degree of finesse if he is wet. Afterward, we just find an airtight container to contain him."

"Huh. Why didn't I think of that? He turns into _sand. _That's-" Tony fell silent and then turned, shouting over his shoulder. "Hey, Capsicle! You catch that?"

"Water, yes! I heard you!" Steve called back as the sound of something pinging off his shield rang through the air. "Robert! Can you find us a water source?"

Pepper had moved over to another screen and keyboard the second Loki had said 'water.' Before he could start searching himself, she spoke up in a confidant tone.

"There is a river two-point-three miles East of your location!" she said, fingers flying over her own keyboard.

"However, you cannot just dump him in the river," Loki said firmly. "His body will turn into mud and flow with the stream until he reaches a point where he can recover or hits a larger body of water. We don't know if that will kill him."

"Great," Tony said dryly, "any other ideas?"

Loki frowned for a moment as the sounds of fighting continued in the background. A few more clicks at the keyboard, and he almost smacked his forehead. Tony had unknowingly voiced the answer earlier while teasing Steve.

"Of course! Get him wet and then _freeze him!_" he said. "Clint? Do you still have any cryo-arrows left?"

"Tried one earlier. Didn't have any effect, so haven't used them up," Clint responded. "Still have most of them."

"Good. Save the ones you have left for now," Loki instructed firmly. "Once our new friend the Sandman is soaked through, _then_ you'll freeze him."

"Got it!" Clint responded.

"How the hell are we going to soak him down?" Tony asked with a yelp. "This is worse than herding cats as it is!"

At this, Bruce popped into the conversation.

"I've got an idea," he started. "Lead him North-East. There's a dam there, and I can re-direct the water source using the jet. One well-placed missile will let the water flood the area you're in enough to do the trick."

"That'll do the trick," Tony said with a smirk.

"Nat! Withdraw and warn the civilians away from the area!" Steve shouted as if they were losing. The Sandman cackled madly, and Steve used the distraction to mutter into the headset, "Once we get the all-clear, Tony and I will lead Sandman into position. Clint, you'll need to fall back and find a spot to line up your shot. Clear?"

"Roger!" Nat shouted, turning and leaving the area. Two, far softer, 'rogers' echoed in their ear-pieces.

"Okay, taking off and heading for the dam," Bruce said.

"Pepper, Robert," Steve started in a low tone as he continued to play the defensive. "I'll be counting on you two to give the signal once everyone is in position. We're counting on you two."

Loki smirked and leaned back on the balls of his feet. This? This was the easiest job imaginable. This felt… _nice_. Far better than being dragged into the middle of a battlefield by Thor to be as close to their enemies, usually Trolls, as possible. Oh yes, this… _support role_ suited him far better.

"We've got this, Steve," Pepper said in an assuring tone with a small smile on her lips.

As the fight progressed, the Avengers strategically giving ground, Pepper and Loki remained vigilant and kept providing updates to the entire team. Once the nearby civilian area was cleared and the Sandman in position, Loki grinned.

"Alright. Bruce, you're up! Blow the bridge!" Loki ordered.

There was a period of silence followed by a frustrated hiss of breath.

"Bruce?" Tony asked, strain ringing in his tone. "What's going on over there, Big Guy?"

"It's… the missiles aren't launching," Bruce said in a frustrated tone. "I can't get it… wait a sec. Damn it, Tony!"

There was a brief moment of confused silence, excluding the sounds of combat, of course, before Tony spoke up. His tone was mildly contrite.

"Oh. Yeah. Now I remember," he said with a weak chuckle. "I uh, was fiddling with the missile launcher. Um, the missile systems aren't functional right now. Oops?"

"WHAT?!" Bruce shouted. "Tony you-!"

"Not the time," Loki cut in with a sigh. "Bruce, you'll just need to… Hulk out."

Bruce groaned at that, and a thud filled the air. Loki didn't even need to see the man to know that he had banged his own head against either the console or the wall. He snickered softly.

"Bruce, _please_, " Steve asked in a strained voice. "We aren't going to be able to hold him in position forever!"

"Right. _Right_," Bruce let out a heavy sigh and Loki to picture him shoving himself up out of the chair. "I got it. On my way."

"We're going to need someone available to calm the Hulk down if necessary," Steve said.

"I can handle that," Natasha said confidently. "Tony and Steve need to stay put to keep Sandman in check, and Clint needs to be ready with his shot. I'm the only one free to handle that."

"Nat, you-" Bruce started, only to have her cut him off.

"I'm not going to _fight_ the Hulk Bruce," she said gently. "We just need to calm him down, right? So, I'll just talk to him. Trust me, Bruce, I can handle this."

"Fine… alright," Bruce let out a small sigh. "Well, then. See you guys on the other side. Good grief…"

"Alright, Charlie Brown," Tony quipped, earning a muttered groan from Bruce.

The sound of an ear-piece being removed and set aside filled the air. There was a distant roar, and not even two minutes later, the dam was destroyed as planned. Loki didn't need to see the incident. He could clearly imagine Bruce transforming, jumping out of the jet, and using the speed of free-fall to destroy the dam. Loki shivered at the mental image. He was very, very glad he wasn't on-site to hear the roars.

"Visuals confirm that the water is approaching your position," Loki said to the others. "Calculations say roughly five minutes until the floodwaters reach you."

Tony let out a frustrated noise.

"Oh God," he said with a groan. "That's like… _forever_."

"Just hold on, Tony," Pepper said. "We've got this!"

"Four minutes, thirty seconds," Loki said.

"Steve, you might want to start withdrawing to higher ground now," Pepper said firmly. "Clint, find a stable position!"

"Got it," Clint said.

"Falling back," Steve responded.

The clock ran down as everyone worked to get where they needed to be. Pepper and Loki both watched their respective screens, wary and watchful, for anything that might go wrong.

Three minutes…

Two minutes…

One…

"The waters should be reaching you…" Loki hesitated and then nodded. "_Now!_"

Tony zoomed upwards, giving them a clear view from his visual display of the water flooding the area as planned. It washed over the Sandman and, despite their enemies frantic efforts to avoid the flood, turned him into a muddy being in mere moments.

"Clint now! Saturation levels should be at max!" Pepper ordered.

Multiple cryo-arrows flew out from Clint's hiding spot. Each one had been fired with Clint's signature, pinpoint accuracy. Every arrow hit the Sandman at a strategic point so that the ice would spread and cover the entire being all at once. The flood of water slowly tricked away, leaving the area a muddy mess with a single ice statue in the clearing. A quick scan showed that the 'mud' was still 'alive', and Loki smirked. Silence filled the air, only to be broken by Tony's jubilant 'whoop' of laughter.

"Yes! Did you guys _see_ that?" Tony shouted, doing a quick victory lap in his suit around the clearing. "We did it! Go Team!"

Loki smirked as he looked over the fruits of their labor.

"Don't get ahead of yourself," he said firmly. "You might want to find that container and quickly. Something to keep the temperature at freezing to avoid him thawing out at least. Then we can put him in an airtight containment system."

"Yeah, yeah," Tony said with a grumble. "I'll work on it."

"Nat?" Steve called out over the radio. "How's the dam situation look?"

"I had the Hulk patch things up with a large boulder," Nat said, voice ringing with amusement. "We can fix it up properly later."

That made Loki go still, fingers poised over his keyboard in shock.

"You… what?" he said disbelievingly. "You had the _Hulk_… How did you manage that?!"

"I asked him nicely," Natasha said with an open chuckle. "Right, big guy?"

"Nice Lady," came a rumbly voice over her comm. "_Friend_."

Loki felt more than a little stunned as he leaned back in the chair he'd grabbed a while back. She'd calmed him down? Just like that? Right then. That... worked for him.

"Oh my god! Drinks on me tonight, guys!" Tony exclaimed. "Rob, Pepper, you're joining the victory party! No excuses!"

"Tony," Pepper started in an amused and slightly exasperated tone.

"Ah, no. I don't care what meetings there are or if the board wants to talk about this or that or _whatever_. _There is a party tonight,_" Tony stressed with a laugh. "And you two are coming along. In fact, Pepper could you order some pizzas to be ready by the time we get home? And some fried cheese balls, I could really go for some cheese balls."

Pepper stared at the screen for a long moment. She shook her head and laughed softly.

"Fine. I can cancel," she at last said. "What kind of pizza do you want?"

"Meat lovers, of course!" Tony stated. "As if I'd order anything else!"

"Can I get a mushroom and chicken white-sauce pizza, please?" Natasha asked.

"Hawaiian for me, please!" Clint asked cheerfully.

"What? Ew! Clint! Just EW!" Tony exclaimed in disgust, making an exaggerated 'urp!' sound.

"I'm sure whatever you order will work for me, Pepper, " Steve chuckled in amusement as Tony and Clint bickered back and forth.

"Meat-lovers for the Cap, okay, Pep?" Tony informed, his screen wavering for a moment as he dodged Clint's attempt to thwack him upside the head. "And one for Bruce too! Alright, see you two in a few hours. Get the lounge ready for a _party_, will you?"

Pepper shook her head and chuckled.

"I'll see you soon, Tony," she said.

"Oh, and Pepper! Before you go?" Tony exclaimed as if he had forgotten something.

"What is it?" Pepper asked.

"I love you," Tony stated firmly. "You two were _amazing_. See ya soon, babe."

Pepper smirk softened into a gentle grin.

"I love you too," she informed and finally broke the line. She leaned back as well, sighing deeply.

"Well," Loki commented, leaning forward toward her. "At least that's handled."

Pepper shook her head and let out a soft snort. She waved her hand and grabbed her phone, starting to cancel the rest of her appointments for the day.

"Every day a new, crazy adventure with Tony," she said before turning to Loki with a shy, yet excited grin. "I will admit, though, that was kind of... I don't know... _fun_."

Loki shrugged and tried not to look too happy with himself.

"It was... decent entertainment," he responded. "I suppose."

"It felt _nice_, being able to actually help them out instead of just being left behind to worry. You did well too, Robert," she offered him a thankful smile. "Thank you."

Loki blinked, then frowned slightly.

"You're welcome… I suppose," he said stiffly.

"Why do you look like it's so weird for me to say thank you?" Pepper asked. "You helped them as much, if not more than I did!"

"I... suppose I did at that," Loki shrugged and looked away, keeping his expression as nonchalant as possible. "It would be rather inconvenient if they got hurt at this time."

And Pepper chuckled at his words

"That's one way to look at it," she said with a grin. "You know what? We should do this again sometime."

"Oh certainly. Especially if it helps them get the job done quicker," Loki agreed in a nod.

Pepper chuckled again, then stood up and started typing away at her phone.

"Well, I am going to go order those pizzas. The others should be back here at around Nine PM, I should think. That would be a good time to have them delivered. What would you like?" Pepper asked.

"Whatever you're having," Loki responded with a shrug.

Pepper raised a brow at him.

"You are usually the one with the best taste around here," Loki admitted.

"Well, that's kind of a compliment, I guess," she commented with a smirk.

She shook her head as she finally left, and Loki sighed as he leaned back again in his seat. Well, now that the Avengers were done with their little joy ride and had successfully 'saved the day,' perhaps they could get back to what was _important_.

Sheesh.


	28. The feast

The custom of having a celebratory feast after a battle was another thing Loki was familiar with after having lived so long on Asgard. As such, he could quickly note the peculiarity that some things remained the same no matter where he went. Parties such as this always had loads of food and plenty to drink. The people would recount their former, or most recent, adventures in loud, booming voices. There would be laughter and song. Jokes and good-humored jabs. All while being high both on adrenaline and drink.

Loki was pleased to find that, while there was laughter and a recounting of events, it was far more _subdued_ than the massive parties held on Asgard. Mostly the Avengers could just be found relaxing on the couches in Tony's main lounge.

Tony, of course, had not missed a beat. He had claimed a seat next to Pepper and had happily put an arm around her shoulder and held her close. Clint was sitting on an armchair by himself, legs crossed, and a plate of his own pizza balanced on his knee as he talked. Natasha had situated herself right next to Bruce, much like Tony had with Pepper. She would try to scoot closer to the scientist whenever he wasn't looking. A small fact that was not lost to Loki. It made Loki wonder if Bruce held secret some kind of information she was trying to get out of him. He had a hard time figuring out what else she would be doing.

Loki was sharing a couch with Steve, each of them sitting at their own side and allowing the other space. They were surrounding a table that had numerous open pizza boxes, the multiple meat lovers, the one Hawaiian, and then one that Pepper had ordered. Something called 'Greek-style.' It was for her and Loki and had a rather lovely flavor to it.

"You know... I really could get used to being on a team like this," Tony admitted, nodding to everyone before smiling at Pepper. "It's... kind of nice when people have your back."

Pepper smiled back, a gentle thing that lit up her face as she looked back at him.

"Yes. It's nice to _see_ that you aren't alone out there. And that you let them help you to," she said softly, a hand lifting to rest over his own where it lay on her shoulder.

"You did great too, love," Tony said, offering her a cocky smile and a small hug. "_You're_ my favorite Avenger! No doubt about it."

"Tony, I'm not a..." Pepper began only for Tony to shake his head and cut her off by tapping a finger against her lips. She rolled her eyes at his antics.

"Of course you are, Pepper!" Steve said firmly, flashing her a smile and stopping her from saying anything. "It was through _team_ effort that we brought down the Sandman, and _you_ were part of that team! We all benefited from your help, and I hope you'll give us your aid again in the future."

Pepper blinked, then smiled gently even as she blushed.

"If you would like me to... Then I would love to," she admitted. "Being an actual part of it all, helping like that, makes it feel different. It feels _good_."

Her smiled widened, and she looked up at Tony, almost shyly. He smiled back at her. There was a look of equal parts pride, mischief, and, most of all, _love_ in his eyes. The two almost melted against each other, and Loki rolled his eyes. Those two were getting a bit too sugar-sweet, lovey-dovey for his tastes. Too bad he couldn't make a bucket of ice water appear over their heads…

"I couldn't have done it without Robert, though," Pepper said, turning that happy smile on Loki and pulling him from his imaginings. "We make a great team, don't you think?"

Loki went still, surprised, and more than a little pleased to be included in the praise. Not that he would admit _that_.

"I suppose we did work well together," he admitted, looking away and taking a sip of his drink.

"Aww, look at that. He's shy," Clint teased with a laugh. He wagged a finger at Loki. "Don't get any ideas now. I don't think Tony would be happy to see anyone flirting with his girlfriend."

Loki rolled his eyes at the teasing jab.

"Pepper is organized, sharp-witted, and fiercely intelligent," Loki said firmly. "She is a good work partner, nothing more."

As one, the group around him frowned and looked at Loki. He let out a huff and hid a smirk with the rim of his cup.

"I... _think_ that was a compliment," Clint eventually commented, and Pepper chuckled in amusement.

"I'm used to spending time with condescending jerks," Pepper said with a grin as she leaned against Tony. "Thank you, Robert. You're also a good work partner."

"It... _helped_ that everyone on the ground was good at following instructions," Loki commented hesitantly.

Internally, he was lamenting just how _bad_ Thor and his friends were in comparison to how the Avengers had behaved. Not one of them had listened to Loki's advice on how to go into a fight. His tactics would have led them to victory multiple times over, but _nooo_. Every single one of them had wanted to rush headfirst into battle and damn the consequences. The difference between the two groups was plain to see and… Loki didn't quite know what to make of that fact. It was weird.

"The Hulk isn't that scary!" Natasha said firmly, drawing Loki's attention back to the group. The discussion had turned to Bruce's involvement in the fight. "I find him to be very sweet."

Loki stared at the woman with a raised brow. He and Natasha obviously had _very_ different ideas of what the definition of 'sweet' was. Bruce himself had ducked his head down in a shy manner. A flush of shame or embarrassment crawled visibly up his neck.

"I'm serious, guys, " Natasha said with a small laugh. "He was scared of _me_ at first. He thought I was going to attack him, but when he realized I wouldn't… he was so cautious. It was almost like he was terrified of hurting me, but wanted me to stay nearby. It's almost a shame he went away so quickly..."

"That big green ogre is such a pitiful creature," Loki commented softly, looking down briefly.

That made them all turn to him with various expressions on their faces. Loki looked up and blinked in surprise.

"What?" he asked.

"What do you mean by that, Rob?" Tony asked with a frown.

"It _is_ pitiful when you think about it, isn't it?" Loki asked as he leaned back against the couch. "So much power available to it, and yet this creature finds himself a prisoner inside of Bruce. It is only allowed a mere _glimpse_ of the outside world when _Bruce_ allows himself to feels anger or, in other ways, _demands_ its' presence. Not only that but when it is time to calm the Hulk down, it is not allowed to _stay_ around to enjoy the scenery around it nor otherwise discover the world. Take today, for example. It was the Hulk who destroyed and then _fixed_ the dam, albeit temporarily, but it is not here to share the celebration with us. It is _Bruce_ who is allowed to be here afterward and celebrate."

His little speech had led to absolute utter and stunned silence from the group. Everyone looked at Loki with wide eyes, and he merely looked back at them with a raised brow. When no one spoke up, he decided to press his point further.

"Am I wrong?" Loki asked, his tone bordering in condescending. "Clearly, the Hulk can grow more intelligent. We all heard him call Natasha 'nice lady' and 'friend,' did we not? And yet, to my knowledge, he has never been allowed to 'stay out' long enough to learn and grow, has he? Now, I am not saying that he will ever be as smart as Bruce, but he has already learned to form simple sentences. In fact, how old is the Hulk, Bruce?"

"Erh, " Bruce started haltingly. "Well, the accident happened about fourteen, fifteen years ago now. I think."

"Well then, consider this; for how long of that time has the Hulk _actually_ been awake? Aware of himself and his surroundings? If you accumulate all of the time that you've let him outside, you have what a week's worth? Perhaps a month if we are exorbitantly generous. In either case that would make him a _child_, nothing more than a baby in fact," he finished and took another bite of his pizza.

Natasha nodded thoughtfully while the others shared equally quizzical looks. Obviously, none of them had thought of it that way before.

"He did seem to be a bit like a child," Natasha admitted after a few moments. "Not just that, but a child longing for friendship and positive attention. When he reached out to me, there was… so much longing and sorrow in his eyes. He looked so very lonely."

"Ya know what, I got a question," Tony raised up a hand as if he were in a classroom. "Are Bruce and the Hulk just two sides of the same person? Like, you know, ultimately the exact same person underneath. Or… are they two _separate_ entities?"

Bruce frowned and removed his glasses to clean them in what Loki had realized was a nervous habit.

"I'm not sure," Bruce admitted after a few moments. "We do seem to affect each other's moods. However, we don't… We don't seem to share a lot of _memories_. At least, nothing other than flashes and vague ideas of what the other was up to."

"Maybe we should try and talk to the Hulk," Natasha pointed out thoughtfully.

"_Talk_ to him?!" Bruce asked, almost shouted, really. "Natasha! You know what destruction he brings when he…"

"Well, that's when you lose control," Natasha pointed out calmly. "But, have you ever tried to let him out in a peaceful situation? Have you ever tried talking to him yourself?"

"How would I even _do_ that?" Bruce asked incredulously. He sighed a moment later and admitted. "No."

"We should try that then!" Tony said excitedly, already calling up one of his little holo-screens to punch in some numbers and diagrams.

"Tony, are you insane?!" Bruce asked, trying to swipe his hand through the image. "You _know_ the kind of destruction he can bring when running loose!"

"Nat handled him fine before," Tony pointed out while swatting away Bruce's hand.

"Steve?!" Bruce asked desperately, trying to find someone to back him up.

Steve was usually the one who agreed that the Hulk should only ever be used as a last resort. Yet now, the good Captain seemed thoughtful. He slowly nodded his head in agreement, looking at Tony, who grinned eagerly.

"We would need to take measures, of course, but we should try to talk to him," Steve said gently. "I mean, he is one of our teammates. Without him, we would have lost the battle in New York. Even today, he was a great asset to the team. We would not have been able to succeed in pulling off our plan without him. We owe him our thanks and gratitude as a team."

Clint sighed deeply and nodded his agreement.

"Yeah," he admitted with a nod. "You're right, Cap. Big guy needs his due."

A wide-eyed Bruce looked back and forth at all of them. Eventually, he slumped and shook his head.

"Do you even know what you're…" he started only to fall silent as Natasha leaned over and touched his arm.

"It's going to be okay, Bruce," Natasha spoke in a soft voice, and Bruce looked at her.

"Yes, this should be beneficial. Just one thing?" Loki said, holding up his own hand this time. "Regardless of how you lot decide to go about this, please tell me before you do it, so I am not anywhere nearby!"

"Aww, still scared of the big bad Hulk?" Tony asked in a teasing tone.

Loki frowned in annoyance at the other man.

"No," he said in a way that made it clear that he was lying. The rest of the group chuckled.

"Fair enough," Tony said with a laugh. "We owe you one too, dude. You are _super_ good at observing the situation, you know that?"

Loki blinked again in surprise.

"Yes..." he said slowly and carefully.

"I'll be sure to keep that in mind for the future," Tony said with a grin. "Man, this team is really shaping up. For the Avengers!"

He held up his can of beer, and the rest raised their own respective glasses or cans. Loki sighed. He had to keep up appearances, though, so he picked up his own can to join in on the cheer.

"For the avengers!" they all cheered and took a drink.

As they downed their drinks, Loki reminded himself that he was going to betray them. Of just how sad and devastated their faces were going to be when they realized that they had come to depend on their own enemy for aid. Of just how _good _it was going to feel once they realized that they had become so reliant on Loki himself. Such wide-eyed, big, _stupid_ faces…

Loki hated that the feeling of satisfaction at tricking his foes was a fleeting one. Once again, he had to forcibly remind himself that he would not lose himself to his chosen role. He refused to change.

He was Loki, the god of mischief. He had positioned himself in a place that gave him the greatest advantage in the upcoming battle.

That was all.


	29. A simple plea

"What ails you, my son?" Odin asked, his one eye focused on Thor's face.

Thor looked to be lost in contemplative thought, an expression not that uncommon on Thor these days. It was not an expression that had been seen on his face that often in the past. No, usually, he was prone to action over planning. The change was not an unpleasant one, and Thor's own friends had gotten used to a more thoughtful Prince.

"Father, I..." Thor finally dared to glance up and meet Odin's gaze. The King was seated on his throne with Thor's Mother, Queen Frigga, right by his side. It was only them in the room, Thor standing before his parents, so why hesitate? "I encountered Loki on earth."

Odin nodded his head and leaned back in his throne.

"Yes, Heimdal told me as much," Odin said with a small smile. "And he also told me that you acted most admirably."

"I am very relieved," Thor admitted. "Loki has found himself staying with a group of good people. People who I am sure will teach him valuable things, whether he shall admit to it or not. However, he brought up something that has me worried."

"Please speak your mind, Thor," Odin said with gentle firmness.

"The enchantment you cast upon Loki, you said it would be broken if he was to prove himself worthy, yes?" Thor asked. At Odin's nod of agreement, he pressed on. "Loki doesn't believe that he can do so. As such, he has said that he won't even try. And he asked me... 'Worthy of what?' I will admit, even as I proved myself worthy of the powers given to me, I didn't understand how or why it had happened. What had I proven myself worthy _of_? Asgards Throne? Your approval? I admit that I do not understand."

Odin listened calmly to his son and then slowly shook his head once Thor was done speaking.

"The terms of your worthiness were not set by myself," he informed. "It was set by Mjolnir, your own weapon. Mjolnir, though, is only a mere extension of yourself. _You_ were setting your own terms. As to your question, 'Worthy of what?', why, it was to be worthy of your own powers once more."

Thor blinked in confusion.

"What?" he asked after a few moments of silence. "What do you mean?'

"Lokis magic is only a mere extension of his own being like yours, and Mjolnir is of your own. It is that magic that sets the terms of the bindings upon him. His own magic determines what needs to be done to prove himself worthy of his own prowess," Odin informed his son in a somber tone.

"I see. I… think… maybe," Thor frowned and glanced at the ground for a moment before he glanced up once more. "Father, while my powers were given to me by you, Loki's powers were something he acquired through time and effort on his own. Do you think that... would it perhaps be possible to give him back just a fraction of that power? As a sign of goodwill?"

Odin shook his head, a sad but firm look on his face.

"That is not how the enchantment works, my son," he informed Thor in a gentle tone. "Even if I desired to do so, I am powerless to lift the spell from him. Only Loki can undo the chains that bind him. It is up to him to find his path."

"But…. If he won't even _try_..." Thor's head dropped, and he stared helplessly at the ground.

At that, Frigga stood up and walked to stand in front of Thor. Thor glanced up hesitantly, meeting his Mother's bright blue eyes. Thor's eyes ran over her form briefly, taking in the golden waves of her hair as it fell artfully over her shoulders and down her back. Hair that he had inherited. Thor had always assumed that he had taken after Frigga and Loki after Odin. It was not an inappropriate assumption. Paintings of Odin in his youth showed that the elderly King had dark hair and slender features. Thor shook his head of such thoughts and met his Mother's eyes. His heart clenched when he saw that they glittered with unshed tears, her sorrow plain for any to see.

"Your brother had been made to endure so much suffering and hardships," Frigga said softly. "I could sense it in him as he stood before us. His soul tarnished, and his mind screaming in agony. It was as if he were a wounded animal, wild and angry, claws and fangs bared and ready to lash out at any who might dare to approach him. I wish that I could have reached out to him then, but I fear that any such attempt would have only driven him further from us."

Thor nodded his head sadly.

"That is the impression I got as well," he admitted softly, glancing at the ground. He looked up a moment later, having gathered his courage. "Mother, Father, please do not respond in anger, but I must ask you... why did you not tell us of Loki's true origins? Why did you allow me to go on so, saying such awful things about the Jotun?"

It was clear that Thor's questions were painful for both Frigga and Odin. Both looked away from him. Eventually, after several moments of tense silence, Odin turned back to face his son and spoke, voice heavy.

"Asgard and Jotunheim..." he started, only to let out a sigh as he leaned back in his throne. "It was prophecied, many thousands of years ago now, that our two species would be forever doomed to eternal conflict. That our realms would be destined to face constant war until one of us was no more. That prophecy was why my grandfather ruled that no Jotunn was to ever step foot upon Asgard's soil. I made an exception when I brought home the infant that I had found abandoned upon an ice cap for being too small."

"The moment I laid eyes upon him, I knew a truth that could not be denied," Frigga said in a soft voice. "That child was mine. He may not have been born of my body, but I refused to let him go. Together, Odin and I placed an enchantment upon him to seal away his true appearance, to protect him from those who might do him harm. We chose to raise him as our own, and, in our hearts, we hoped that one day he might be the key to bringing peace to two warring realms despite the ancient prophecies spoken so long ago."

"It was a decision made out of concern and love. I believe I understand," Thor nodded. "However, I cannot say that I agree with that choice. It has brought my brother much harm. Even now, he refuses to acknowledge our brotherhood, regardless of blood not shared."

Frigga lowered her gaze, sorrow in her eyes.

"You are right to feel that way," she said with a small nod. Odin let out a heavy sigh.

"It was not merely the Asgardians that Loki needed protection from my son," he said with a shake of his head. "Loki needed to be protected from even the Frost Giants themselves."

"Oh?" Thor turned his attention away from his Mother, frowning in his Father's direction. "How so?"

"The Frost Giants are a people that take pride in strength most of all. Jotunheim, as you have seen, is a harsh and cruel world where only the strong may survive," Odin paused and waited for Thor to nod in understanding before continuing. "It cannot afford to waste precious resources on the weak. So much so, in fact, that their Kings are not chosen due to a line of succession like ourselves. Instead, the Kings of Jotunheim are selected based upon who is the strongest warrior. Laufey was a King that prided himself on being stronger than any other Giant before him. Like all rulers, he desired a son to follow in his footsteps. A son who would become as strong as, if not stronger than, himself. A son strong enough to defeat me."

Odin paused for a moment and then shook his head.

"And yet, Laufey's first-born son was small and weak. To Laufey, such a thing was naught but an embarrassment. To him, it would be better to claim that the child had been born early and stillborn. Better that than to admit that such a weak babe was his. That was why Loki was left out in the cold, mere minutes after having been born. If Laufey were to have found out that his offspring had survived, then he would have done all that he could to end Loki's life."

"Truly a tragic tale," Thor admitted with a wince. He shook his head a moment later. "Though, I do wish you would have told Loki all of this yourself. And much sooner."

"Tell me, my son, if I were to speak with him now, would he listen?" Odin asked in a kindly tone. They all knew the answer to _that_ question.

"No, I'm afraid not," Thor admitted with a sad shake of his head. "He is not yet ready to hear and accept the truth."

"Thor, listen to me," Frigga said, looking up at him and gently touching his cheek. "Only _you_ could save yourself from your own arrogance. That is why your banishment was necessary. Like you, _only_ Loki can save himself..."

She looked down, the tears that she had been fighting against finally falling and trailing down her cheeks.

"Mother, I..." Thor started only to fall silent and helplessly raise his hand to her shoulder in an attempt to offer at least some comfort.

"If you see him again... and if he is in the mood to listen," Frigga hesitated a moment before raising her head. "Please tell him that he is greatly missed."

Thor smiled gently, moving his hand to rest on the back of his Mother's neck. He leaned forward, letting his forehead rest against Frigga's in a sign of affection. She leaned into the touch, eyes falling shut as the tears fell freely.

"I promise you, Mother," Thor said softly, "I will tell him."

Frigga smiled, a gentle thing full of not just sorrow, but also of hope and love.

"Thank you," she whispered softly. "My darling boy."

* * *

Loki tried to suppress a shiver. He had taken the measurements needed on his end and was staying far, _far _away from the so-called experiment that the Avengers had concocted. And yet, he had remained in the building as he was eager to observe the results of said experiment, even if only through a computer screen.

The Hulk was, by far, the strongest person amongst the ranks of the Avengers. The Hulk might have also been the most powerful force on Earth. Loki knew that learning as much as he could about him was important. So, here he stayed, in the lab furthest from the test site, staring at a screen into what looked to be a near-empty, steel-enforced room. He wasn't alone, either. Tony and Pepper had both opted to join him and were sitting nearby, watching the same screen.

The doors to the room opened, and Bruce, Natasha, and Steve all stepped inside. Steve was there to act as backup if it became necessary. Natasha, of course, was there to try to talk to the Hulk and keep him calm. Clint wasn't in the building, surprisingly. He had said something about seeing his family or whatever.

Loki didn't care about that.

A large television screen hung from the wall in the room. It was the only physical object in the room, and it was powered on, waiting to play a video that had been recorded not even a few hours ago. Bruce sighed as he took off his glasses and handed them to Natasha. He then pulled off his shirt and continued to strip until he was left in a pair of stretchy sweat-pants.

"It's going to be okay, Bruce," Tony said assuredly into the microphone. "We have a line on your vitals, and, keep in mind, we can pump some heavy-duty knock out gas into the room if we need to."

"That won't be needed," Natasha said, tone firm and confidant. "We're just going to talk. Right, Bruce?"

Bruce sighed heavily in response and rubbed the bridge of his nose as he spoke.

"Are you guys really sure you want to do this?" he asked in a plaintive tone.

"Bruce, buddy, it's gonna be okay," Tony said a little more firmly. "We're only going to try to talk to him, not fight him. We got this!"

"Alright then," Bruce muttered and closed his eyes.

It took a moment, but he started to grow taller and broader. There was no growling or roaring this time around, at least. Still, Loki felt a chill trace its' way down his back as that large form reared up to his full eight-foot, two -inches and opened his eyes, revealing a pair of Gamma-green eyes for all to see.

There he was... the Hulk himself in all his glory.

Loki swallowed roughly and tried to get his now trembling body under control. He wasn't in the room with the big green brute, at least, but that thought wasn't all that much help. Said 'brute' looked confused. He looked around the room, and his gaze stopped on Natasha. He blinked and let out a soft grunt.

"Hello there, Big Guy," Natasha said with a gentle smile. She stepped forward and tilted her head. "It's nice to see you again."

Hulk tilted his head in turn and let out a hum of noise.

"Friend?" he asked after a moment.

"That's right. I'm Natasha, remember?" she asked. He started to mimic the name and let out an annoyed grunt. "Easy. Just call me Nat. That's okay too. Nat."

"Nat," the Hulk repeated a few times and then grinned almost shyly.

"Good. And this is Steve," Natasha turned a little and indicated the man in question.

Steve offered up a small wave, and the Hulk just stared at him in confusion for a few moments. He looked between the two for several moments before focusing on Steve.

"Friend?" he repeated warily.

Steve nodded and gave the big guy a small smile.

"Yeah, that's right," he said with a chuckle. "You helped me out, remember? We fought together against Loki."

"Heh," Hulk grinned widely and nodded his head in amusement. "Puny god!"

Loki scowled at the screen for a moment, earning a raised brow from Tony. Loki quickly changed his expression to one of curiosity and pointed at the screen. Natasha had moved forward and had touched the Hulk's arm. Tony and Pepper both leaned toward the screens, eyes focused.

"Hulk, do you know who Bruce Banner is?" she asked gently.

Hulk's face darkened at the question, and he nodded his head almost curtly.

"Hulk knows," he grumbled. "Banner... puny. Hate... Banner!"

Natasha blinked at that and tilted her head.

"You... hate Banner?" she asked softly. "Why do you hate him?"

"Banner wants get rid of Hulk," Hulk growled softly, looking at the ground and hunching in on himself. "Banner hates Hulk. Wants to _kill_ Hulk. Hulk... don't want to die."

He looked up from the ground and met Natasha's gaze. Natasha raised a hand to her mouth in shock. Loki's own breath had caught in his throat, and he looked at the others. The look on Natasha's face was mirrored on both Tony's and Pepper's expressions. Clearly, none of them, not even Loki, had counted on the Hulk having _that_ level of self-awareness regarding his situation. Natasha looked outright... heart-broken.

The Hulk shifted and then tapped his chest roughly with his fist.

"Hulk... Hulk want to _live_," he said firmly.

"Of course you do," Natasha said softly, reaching out to touch his arm again. She turned and indicated the screen. "Here. There's someone who wants to talk to you."

A confused Hulk turned to look at the screen. An image popped up, and Hulk tensed, letting out a huff. His muscles flexed as if he was about to punch something. And why wouldn't he react so to a recording of Bruce Banner, especially given what they'd just heard? Natasha gently patted at his arm, letting out a soothing noise.

"Shh, shh, hey. It's okay, Big Guy. It's just a recording," Natasha said softly. The Hulk relaxed, even if it was by just a millimeter.

_'Erhm. Hey there,' _the recording said. '_Right then. Hulk, I'm... I'm Doctor Bruce Banner. We... kind of share a body and all that, so it seems like the only way the two of us will ever be able to talk is... well, like this.'_

The image of Bruce waved his hand and then slumped a bit. He shook his head and then smiled another weak smile.

_'I'm not sure how much you are aware of right now,' _Bruce commented. _"At this point, you should be in the Avengers Tower. You are together with friends. Our friends. And... erhm, well... They wanted to talk to you. To meet with you. Then, after that, they want to know if there is anything we can do for you.'_

Bruce fell silent and pinched the bridge of his nose. He was clearly trying to think of what to say next. He sighed and then nodded his head before he looked up.

_'Natasha should be with you right now. If there is something that you wish to say to me, she will help you turn on a camera so that I can see it later. I guess...' _Bruce paused again and let out a small laugh. '_This must be a bit weird to you. I don't really quite know what to think of it myself but... Look. I hope we can figure things out, somehow. I'm tired of running, and I think that is something the two of us have in common. Maybe we can actually do something good if we work together. I... I never wanted to hurt anyone or destroy anything and... I don't think you do either. Not after what Betty and Natasha both told me.'_

Bruce fell silent again, biting his lower lip nervously and rubbing at the back of his neck. He looked away from the camera for a moment and then turned back to the screen.

'_I really hope that we can figure this out,' _he said softly._ 'Well then, you're up next.'_

Bruce reached out his hand, and the footage ended a second later. Hulk remained silent and stared at the now blank screen. He shook himself and turned to Natasha with a hum.

"Do you want to record a reply for Bruce?" she asked in a gentle tone. The Hulk nodded slowly after a moment, and she smiled. "Okay, then. That up there is the camera."

She pointed up at a black spot on the wall above the TV and waited for Hulk to nod his head. She held up a remote.

"I'm going to turn it on now, okay?" another nod was her answer, and she hit the small button. "Alright, Big Guy. It's on."

For a long moment, Hulk just stared directly into the dark lens of the camera. When he finally spoke, it was hesitant, but earnest.

"Hulk knows... who Bruce Banner is," he started with a huff. "Hulk knows what Banner thinks of Hulk. Banner think Hulk is monster. Banner want... to erase Hulk, but... Hulk don't want to die! Hulk wants to _see _but Banner locks Hulk away! Hulk...!"

It was obvious that the Hulk was starting to get upset. Natasha moved forward and carefully laid her hand on his arm. Hulk twitched and looked down at her, eyes wide and upset.

"Easy Hulk, easy now," she said soothingly. Miraculously, her gentleness seemed to soothe his ire. He calmed and turned to look at the camera lens almost... morosely.

"Why Hulk not allowed walk outside?" Hulk asked with a huff. "Why Hulk not... feed birds or... eat tasty food? Hulk strongest there is! Hulk... Hulk tired of being locked away!"

Once more the big guy looked to be working himself up into a rage. Tony's hand was hovering over the button that would release the knock-out gas, but he didn't touch it. Loki, deciding to take a gamble, hit the speaker button.

"Hulk?" he said, careful to keep his tone even. "Can you hear me right now?"

Hulk twitched and looked up, and around at the room, anger lost in the face of confusion and curiosity.

"Who's there?" he asked.

"Ah, yes," Loki coughed into his hand. "Hello Hulk, my name is Robert. Tony and Pepper are with me right now. Do you remember Tony? The man in the funny iron suit?"

"Hey there, Hulk!" Tony chirped, shooting a mock-outraged look Loki's way.

Hulk nodded and even chuckled a bit.

"Hulk remembers," he said with a nod.

"We're friends too, yeah Big Guy?" Tony said with a grin. "Hulk friends!"

"Hmph. Why you not here?" Hulk asked, annoyance ringing clearly in his voice. "Hiding behind stupid screen!"

Loki closed his eyes and hid a shiver. Yeah, he was so not ready to go down there yet in person. Still, this was his chance to actually talk to the big oaf. A golden opportunity that might not come again.

"Hulk, please listen to me," he said smoothly. "I agree with you. You are the strongest there is, and you deserve recognition."

Hulk visibly perked up at Loki's words, his eyes gleaming with interest and curious wonder that someone else _agreed with him. _

"Tell us what you want, Hulk," Loki offered, in a not quite gentle tone. "We will work to give it to you if we can."

Hulk frowned at that and bounced his leg nervously. He nodded firmly to himself a moment later.

"Outside," he said firmly. "Hulk want to go outside."

Loki, Tony, and Pepper all shared a look before Tony turned back to the screen.

"Okay," Tony said slowly. "Outside for... like a picnic or something?"

"Don't care," Hulk said with a shake of his head. "Outside."

"Well... I guess," Tony hesitated and hummed to himself. "I guess we can take you to a big forest or something. You just want to run around or something?"

"No Banner!" Hulk said abruptly. "Want... outside. Whole day. No Banner!"

Tony hesitated again and glanced at the others. Pepper shrugged at his look. When he turned to Loki, Loki nodded his head firmly.

"Give it to him," he said in an encouraging tone. "A sign of trust. He deserves it, don't you think?"

Tony chuckled at that and nodded his head before turning back to the screen.

"You got it, Big Guy," he said with a smile in his voice. "A whole day out free as a bird, yeah? Tell you what, I'll pack you some nachos too. You're gonna love them!"

The Hulk looked confused and let out a grunt of noise. Natasha smiled and touched his arm, drawing his attention to her.

"You hear that?" she said softly. "We're going on a trip."

"You... come too?" he asked hesitantly as if he were afraid she would say no.

"I would love to!" she responded with a wider grin, her face both softened and grew serious. "But only if you want me to, okay?"

Hulk nodded slowly, a small smile on his lips.

"Hulk would like that," he said with a soft rumble and almost sleepy blink of his eyes. "Hulk rest now."

With that, his head drooped as if falling asleep. Shaking his head didn't exactly help, but he did start to shrink in size. Soon enough, Bruce was once more standing in the room, looking more than a little disoriented. He shook his head and glanced around the room, bleary-eyed before letting out a relieved sigh.

"Well then," he said with a weak smile. "It seems like everything is intact. I suppose that's a good thing, yes?"

Natasha smiled at Bruce as she handed him his glasses.

"He's really quite sweet," she said with a soft laugh.

Bruce frowned at her as he slipped his glasses back on.

"Seriously?" he asked.

"She's right, Doc," Tony said with a laugh of his own before his voice turned serious. "It's... going to be a bit more heart-breaking than I'd like to admit."

Bruce looked up at the ceiling in confusion.

"Wait, what?" he asked. "Heart-breaking?"

An hour later, Bruce was relaxing with the others in the lounge. Loki watched the group from where he stood, leaning against the wall. Tony was sitting on the couch across from Bruce's. Natasha was lounging on the floor next to Bruce. Steve was leaning against the nearby bar. Pepper had left to try to arrange everything for the Big Guy. Bruce... looked very thoughtful, pensive even, and it was hard to blame him. The Hulk's words rang like a gong in everyone's mind. 'Hulk don't want to die.' Such a simple and heartfelt plea from the green giant.

"This... this is the first time anyone's really bothered to talk to him, isn't it?" Bruce suddenly asked. He got no reply. No one could know for sure, but it was likely that Bruce was right. Bruce groaned and rubbed at his face, knocking his glasses askew. "A picnic with the Hulk. Seriously guys?"

"Well, what's the worst that could happen?" Tony asked with a faint grin.

"You really want an answer to that question?" Bruce asked dryly even as Natasha swatted at Tony's leg with a stern 'Don't jinx us!' and a laugh.

Steve let out a soft sigh from his spot and shook his head.

"He's our teammate as much as Bruce is," Steve said firmly, but gently. "We owe it to him, guys."

"He clearly has the ability to develop and learn," Loki said after a moment. "Allowing him to grow would probably be in everyone's best interest. And that includes you, Bruce. If the HUlk is more aware of his own strength, he would not be such a hazard to those around him in a fight."

"I really think we should do this," Natasha said firmly. "He only wants one thing; _to_ _live_."

"But how are we supposed to do this?!" Bruce asked with a frustrated hiss of noise. "We share a body. If one comes out, the other has to go to sleep! That..."

"I dunno," Tony said with a shrug and a flap of his hands. "Time tables, maybe?"

Loki let out a snort of amusement and shook his head.

"One step at a time, boys," Natasha said firmly. "For now, we let him have his day. Agreed?"

As the others all let out assenting noises, Bruce let out a deep sigh and nodded his own agreement with the plan.

"Fine," he said. "Let's give it a shot."

* * *

_Edited by Arei-The Peridot Dragon_


	30. A day outside

Tony's gaze was locked on Loki's form. Loki returned the look from his seat, eyebrow raised. When Toni still said nothing, he sighed.

"What?" he asked, his voice stiff.

"Nothing much, Bobbie boy," Tony said with a careless shrug of a shoulder. "Just... more than a little surprised that you wanted to come along on the trip given... ya know."

He wiggled his fingers in Loki's direction and then jerked his head in Bruce's direction. Loki grimaced, blatantly annoyed with Tony's continued shortening of his chosen moniker, but he understood what the other man was getting at.

"So am I, Tony. So am I," Loki responded with a sigh.

The whole group was packed into Tony's small quinjet. Destination? A remote mountain covered by a massive forest. Tony had already made sure that the area was clear of any and all human life within a radius several miles wide. It was Hulk's big day out. Loki also knew that this was a chance he could not pass up. If there was anyone amongst the Avengers that he needed to make his ally, it was the Hulk. He had to... Well, there was no other way around it, was there?

He actually had to _talk _to the big guy.

_Okay, that's fine,_ Loki thought to himself. _I just need to use my silver tongue and... and convince the big brute that we are... 'friends.' _

That shouldn't prove to be too tricky given their findings so far. Loki had to admit, even if it was just to himself, that the creature had proven to be even more self-aware than Loki had initially thought. The Hulk had not made another appearance since their little experiment a few weeks ago. Still, that small appearance had been enough for the group to make several conclusions.

The Hulk was, for all intents and purposes, a child. And yet, despite this, his ability to learn and observe, to grow as an individual, was astounding. They were uncertain if the cause was due to Bruce's subconsciousness still being present or if it was merely the Hulk's own observational skills. Hel, it could even be a mix of both if Loki's suspicions were correct.

Loki glanced over his shoulder at the man in question. Bruce looked like a wreck. He was huddled up in the far corner of the jet. The scientist had only had a few days to really prepare himself for the trip. Work had distracted all of them as they worked to squeeze in time for the journey. Loki considered it a miracle that the man hadn't 'Hulk'ed out' by accident. Or perhaps it was all thanks to Natasha. The woman _had _stayed by his side the entire time to keep him company _and _to help him stay calm despite the added stress and worry. They had started watching old movies together.

'Bonding time.' _Blech_.

Steve was also near the other man, sitting across from him and trying to keep his mood up just by being his usual kind and assuring self. Clint, too, had joined them for the day and was acting as their pilot. The archer had agreed that it was a good idea to grow more familiar with the Hulk and had jokingly said he didn't trust Tony to get them to their destination without crashing or getting distracted.

Tony's laugh caught Loki's attention, and he turned to look at the other man. His knowing smirk made Loki's brow twitch.

"You really are something, Rob. You know that?" he said with another laugh. "I seriously never know what's going to come out of your mouth."

"Well," Loki started with a prim sniff, "so very glad that I can amuse you."

"Yeah. Man," Tony said with a shake of his head. "Too bad there is still only one person I know who can keep up with me who isn't an asshole."

"I assume that you are not implying that I cannot keep up with you, and are instead implying that I am an asshole, yes?" Loki asked. At Tony's amused nod, Loki sighed. "In that case, I remind you that you, yourself, are the stiffest competitor in that department."

Tony burst into laughter and reached over to smack Loki on the shoulder.

"See? That's what I'm talking about!" Tony said, still snickering. His expression remained jovial and yet somehow turned serious at the same time. "Anyway. Rob, I want you to know that, whenever you feel like talking about who you really are, I'll be all ears. Okay? No judgment from me!"

Loki had to force himself not to tense under Tony's hand. Instead, he raised a brow and kept his own expression bland.

"What are you saying?" he asked.

"You know what I'm saying, dude," Tony said, rolling his eyes. "You're not a fucking mythologist. Personally, I think that you're a former Hydra agent that defected. Which is cool by me! Nat doesn't think so, though. In fact, she thinks you might be working for the British government. The MI6 or something, ya know? All to get a closer look at American security projects, which, as you know, S.H.I.E.L.D. is a part of."

Loki mentally relaxed and let out a soft chuckle of amusement.

"I must admit, those are some interesting theories," he said with a smirk.

"We even have a betting poll going!" Tony said with another bark of laughter. "Clint bet that you're an alien of some kind. Though, personally? I think he did that just to mess with us."

"Again, I am thrilled that I can amuse you so," Loki said, feeling honestly amused by their antics. If only Clint knew how right he was. "Tell me, does Steve also have a theory?"

"Bah, wet noodle that he is, he refused to bet. The guy doesn't know how to have fun sometimes!" Tony said with a pout. He perked up a moment later. "Pepper is betting that you're telling the truth. So yeah, when you're ready, feel free to release us from our suspense at any time."

Tony's 'puppy-dog' look made Loki laugh, and he shook his head. He pretended to be lost in thought for a moment before nodding his head.

"Very well, I shall give you a clue," he said with a smirk. "Just one, though, so don't press."

"Seriously?!" Tony asked, eyes wide in surprise.

"I amuse you, do I not?" Loki asked, smirk widening. "It's only fair that you should amuse me in turn by spending countless nights tossing and turning over the mystery that is me."

Tony frowned and pouted, crossing his arms in a joking pantomime of a sulking child.

"I dunno," he started in a faux-whine. "I'm not so sure that's fair."

"Oh?" Loki sniffed and examined his nails. "I suppose you do not want the clue then?"

"No! I mean, yes! I mean-," Tony shook his head and leaned forward eagerly. "Tell me!"

Loki smirked, looking back at Tony and pushing his glasses back up on his nose.

"Dolos," he said.

Tony blinked and leaned back in his seat.

"Huh... okay? You said Dolos, right?" he asked. When Loki remained silent, he frowned. "Wait. What? That's it? Just 'dolos'? You're not going to add anything to that?"

Loki's smirk only widened further still. Tony ran a hand through his hair, frowning thoughtfully.

"'Dolos,' 'dolos.' The hell does that even mean?" Tony asked under his breath. He looked back at Loki with a mild glare. "Hey, come on now! There's got to be more to it than just that!"

Loki held up a finger and continued to remain silent. He'd told the other man he would get one, and only one, clue after all.

"GAH!" Tony ran both hands through his hair, mussing up his hair-do even further. "This is going to drive me insane, you know that, right? Dolos? What is it? Some secret organization? A forgotten country? Dude, you can't just leave me hanging here! You'll drive me insane!"

"Hmm," Loki hummed thoughtfully and then grinned in victory. "You know, I do believe that was my plan."

Tony squint-glared at him and then leaned back in his seat.

"You're just bullshitting me, aren't you?" Tony asked. "You made up that word, didn't you?!"

"Maybe," Loki said, drawing out the word.

"Hey, now! That's not fair!" Tony exclaimed loudly enough to draw the attention of the others on board.

"Settle down back there kids," Clint called from the cockpit, causing Tony to let out a deep, annoyed groan at having their conversation cut short. "We're about to start our descent."

They exited the quinjet, and Loki paused briefly to take in the sights around him.

The area was beautiful.

To call the area silent was misleading, but it was tranquil. The wind blowing through the trees. The noises of various animals filled the air. Nothing but nature around them. Clint had landed them right next to a large, crystal-clear lake. Around that was a thick wall of trees, and beyond the woods, the mountains stood proudly in the distance. Tony ran one more scan on the area to make sure they were the only ones around. He flashed them a thumbs-up a moment later.

"We're good to go, guys!" Tony said with a wide grin.

They started getting into position. Once done, Loki had to fight back the urge to hide behind Steve when Bruce finally let go and allowed the big guy out. Hulk opened his eyes and looked around the area. The wary look faded into one of surprise as he took in his surroundings. Tony stepped forward with a grin, a big smile on his face.

"Hulk!" Tony said with a laugh and a gentle clap of his hands. "It's great to see you, buddy!"

Hulk blinked down at Tony and then looked around again. He glanced back to the group, a small hesitant smile on his lips.

"Hulk is... outside," he said happily.

"Yup! That you are, big guy! It's what you wanted, right?" Tony asked with a tilt of his head. At Hulks nod, Tony nodded back. "Right, so. We've got an entire day for you. Do whatever you'd like, big guy. You can hang out with us, go for a run in the woods or even go for a swim in the lake. Plenty big enough. It would be cool if you would spend a little time with the team, though. Oh right! Hulk, this is everyone on the team. Team, meet the Hulk!"

Tony waved a hand in an encompassing manner to include everyone else standing nearby. Everyone straightened up and offered the big guy a smile. Again, Loki had to fight the urge to hide. He forced himself to stop hunching and offered his own weak smile of greeting.

"Right then, so you remember Wilhelm Tell, Captain Grampa, and Madame Super Spy," Tony said, pointing to Clint, Steve, and Natasha, respectively. Next, you've heard Rob, the newest asshole on the team. Here he is in person!"

"_Robert_," Loki said with a heavy sigh and a shake of his head. He looked back at the Hulk and saw that he was looking at the group carefully. Committing the names to memory, perhaps?

"We are, of course, currently lacking our Space Viking," Tony said after a moment. "Funny thing, he's busy in space right now. 'Cause, you know, he's actually _from_ space and all that. He'll come back if something important comes up. I think."

Steve stepped into the sudden bout of silence as Tony squinted contemplatively at the sky. He gave the Hulk one of his patented, friendly smiles.

"Hello there, Hulk. It's nice to see you again," he said as he held out his hand in greeting.

Hulk stared at Steve's hand in confusion and then looked back to the Captian's face.

"It's just a handshake," Steve said encouragingly.

"Hulk knows," the big guy said. He then took Steve's hand, only for Steve's eyes to widen as the Hulk shook it. The simple handshake nearly sent Steve stumbling to the ground.

"Arh, sorry," Steve said with a soft hiss as he reclaimed his hand. "That's... quite the firm handshake you have there friend."

Hulk was frowning, however.

"Alright! This is great!" Tony said, clapping his hands together and then spreading them out wide. "So, Hulk! We're here! The entire day is for you. We brought food, drinks, card games. Whatever you'd like to do, just let us know."

Hulk glanced around the area thoughtfully and then looked up at the sky. A small hum escaped him, and Natasha stepped forward. She placed a gentle hand on his arm.

"You want to go for a walk?" she asked gently. At Hulk's nod, she gave his arm a gentle push. "Go. You know where we are. There's plenty of food if you get hungry."

Hulk looked back down at her, eyes filled with confusion before he turned his head back up toward the sky and then the tree line. Loki frowned. Was he looking for something? The Hulk seemed tense. Wary and expectant. Tony seemed to realize what was going on and stepped forward.

"Hey, big guy," he started softly. "There are no other humans around the area except ourselves. I checked. No Ross with his mean tanks and helicopters. No S.H.I.E.L.D. agents trying to hunt you done. Just us."

Tony's words didn't seem to clear away Hulk's confusion. Still, he looked back to the sky and nodded his head. The Hulk crouched and then leaped into the air, disappearing into the distance within moments.

"Right, well. That was a great start. I guess," Tony said with another small clap of his hands. He looked around the area a moment later, and his grin faded.

"Tony?" Natasha asked, concerned.

"I'm bored now! I should have brought along some tech," Tony said with a pout, and Loki had to refrain from smacking himself in the face. What was that term he'd come across again? Ah, yes, 'man-child.'

"Perhaps you should take the time to take it easy for once?" Clint said with a chuckle as he sat down and leaned up against the tree facing the lake. "It's nice out. Good time for a nap."

"Boring," Tony said with a roll of his eyes. He turned to Loki a moment later, eyes lighting back up. "So, what the hell is 'dolos?'"

"Do a google search," Loki said with a shrug.

"You..." Tony squint-glared at Loki before throwing his hands up in frustration. "You're an asshole!"

"I had thought that we had established that fact already," Loki said drily.

"Great," Tony said with a grumble, "as if I didn't have enough sleep issues already."

* * *

As the day passed, Loki started feeling more than a little bit annoyed. He needed to get some alone time with the Hulk. Claiming that time, however, was proving to be surprisingly tricky. First, he was out on his walk for some time. When he eventually returned, he ate with the group, carefully picking at the food that had been offered to him. Ultimately, he approved of everything that had been brought and started to eat with gusto by shoving food in his mouth while laughing. The big, booming laugh filled the area.

Whenever the Hulk was nearby, all the other Avengers did their best to interact with him. And when he went off on his own, it was impossible to keep up with him. At least on foot. Loki was starting to wonder if he wasn't merely wasting his entire day.

Eventually, the day began to near its' end. The sun was starting to sink beyond the horizon, painting the sky in deep orange and red colors that had the beginning edges of deep blues and purples. Loki let out a sigh and then went on a walk himself to help clear his head.

Once he was a fair distance from the others, he froze. He'd heard something. Deep rumbling breaths that were too deep to be from a mere human. Could he really be so lucky? Loki started carefully toward the sound and past the tree line. He was back by the shore of the lake, a fair distance from where they had landed. The big guy himself was laying out on his back, staring up at the sky with a massive grin on his face. He looked very much like an animal that had finally been released from its' cage, covered with twigs, leaves, and mud. Loki started forward again, and the Hulk turned his head Loki's way with a frown.

"Who there?" Hulk asked in a gruff tone.

"It's just me," Loki said in a quiet voice, deliberately working to keep the Hulk calm. "Robert."

"Robert," Hulk repeated with an annoyed frown as he looked back to the darkening sky. "Do not know Robert well."

"Well, to be honest, I had hoped for a chance to rectify that," Loki said with a shrug of his shoulder. He eased another step closer. "We talked earlier, remember? In the tower? I agreed with your words. Hulk is the strongest there is. You deserve so much more than to live inside of a cage."

Hulk turned his head back to look up at Loki questioningly from where he lay.

"You are a god amongst insects on this world," Loki commented idly, keeping his hands held behind his back. "And yet, people fear you. Hate you. They should worship you. No, I do not believe your lot a 'fair' one."

Hulk frowned at Loki's words and shook his head.

"Hulk not need worship," he said in a surprisingly soft tone. "Hulk just want to be left alone."

Loki remained quiet for a moment. He needed to carefully consider his next words.

"At the very least, you should be free to do what you want," he settled on finally. "Shame on Banner for caging you down."

The Hulk growled low at the mention of his alternate self.

"I'm in a cage too," Loki admitted softly. "My true potential was locked away. And why? Because people fear it. Fear me. So... I'm not allowed to do anything, even though I could do so much."

"You just punt little man," Hulk pointed out with a confused blink.

Loki let out a huff and smirked in amusement.

"I merely look 'puny' right now," Loki said in an assuring tone. "It's rather like how people look at Banner, yes? They would not know at first glance what awesome power rests within him, _you_. And you are clearly the superior part of two halves. And yet, he is ashamed by you when he should instead be honored! Truly a shame."

"You are funny, puny man," Hulk said with a snort of amusement.

"I do mean it, though!" Loki pointed out in an earnest tone. "Banner is just an ordinary if brilliant, man. You, however? You are _extraordinary_! Not just amongst the humans, but among all the creatures of the universe itself. It... it would be a great honor indeed if you would but consider me a friend as you do the others."

Unlike his previous expressions during their short conversation, Hulk's face lit up. He even sat up to look at Loki with a broad smile, almost bouncing in place.

"Friend?!" he repeated with eager excitement.

Loki smirked. It truly was remarkable. The big green guy really was just a child that had been longing for friends and a place to call his own. So much power and yet that promise of friendship was all that was needed.

"Yes, friends!" Loki said with a wide smile. He opened his arms wide. "And I swear this to you; whatever it is that you need or desire, I shall do my best to bring it to you. I shall be your friend, and even your servant, should you so desire."

"Hulk... Hulk just want to live," Hulk said sadly as he flopped back on the ground to look once more at the sky. He let out a gusty sigh. "Day over soon. Banner will come back. Hulk not allowed to stay. Not allowed to live."

"Please, do not despair just yet," Loki said in an encouraging tone. "One day, your time shall come. Patience, my green friend."

"Heh," Hulk chuckled and shook his head. "Puny man keeps saying funny things."

Loki smirked and finally gathered enough courage himself to sit down beside the Hulk. He joined the other man in looking up at the darkening sky.

"You know... there are worlds up there where you would be considered a hero," he said as he leaned back, bracing his hands against the ground. "Where your strength would be a source of admiration, not fear. There's this world called Mutun and the people there are...Well, let us just say that they take everything literally. Things such as sarcasm and metaphors are wholly lost to them. Even fear itself seems to be a foreign concept to them. They do, however, love and worship strength. If you were to ever go to that world, you would be met with nothing but adoration from everyone."

Hulk blinked slowly as he listened to Loki talk. He stayed silent until the first stars began to appear in the night sky.

"Funny man making up funny stories," he said eventually.

"No, I promise you that I am not making anything up," Loki said firmly, but gently as he too looked toward the stars. "That world _is_ real. It, along with many others, would be so happy to welcome you with open arms. I... am afraid that, as I am, I lack the power to take you to any such place at the moment. I, too, am caged at this time."

"You... not making joke," Hulk said softly, looking at Loki in wide-eyed surprise.

"No, I am not. But it _is_ a secret," Loki said softly, his voice almost a whisper. "Once, I walked across all of those worlds. I saw much and encountered many different kinds of people. Many different cultures. The universe, oh, it is a grand and vast thing, my friend. Earth itself is but a small fraction of that. One tiny world, too fragile and little for such a magnificent creature like yourself. But those other worlds? The universe itself is amazingly grand."

"Hmm. A world... for Hulk?" Hulk asked thoughtfully as he glanced back at the stars. He looked back at Loki, and Loki raised a finger to his lips.

"Shh. Please, as I mentioned, it's a secret. Our secret now, yes?" Loki asked. Hulk nodded a moment later and smiled.

"Okay," the big guy said.

Loki smirked lightly as the Hulk went back to looking at the sky. He looked up as well. Still, the sight of all those stars, those countless worlds, made his heart drop to his stomach. The conversation with the big guy had reminded him that he was indeed confined here. A gilded cage was still a cage after all. But...

No, it didn't matter. As long as Loki was in control of his own fate, it didn't matter. His new ally was strong enough to beat even an Asgardians strength if it came down to it. Things were indeed shaping up for him.

* * *

_Edited by Arei-The Peridot Dragon_


	31. Family

There were two main issues concerning the conundrum that was the Hulk and Bruce. The first was that the Hulk had very little control over his own strength. However, as Loki had previously pointed out, that problem could be solved by letting him out more often. How else was the Hulk supposed to learn? The second problem was that they were indeed two separate people sharing the same body. When one was 'out and about,' the other was forced into a kind of slumber.

Ironically enough, Tony's joking suggestion of making up a time table was actually their best option to sort out that problem.

Bruce wasn't that happy about it, obviously. And who could really blame him? Being forced into the back of someone else's mind for an extended period certainly didn't sound pleasant. Loki would have personally refused such a suggestion point-blank had it been him. Being trapped so within one's own body was the worst kind of prison that he could imagine.

Bruce, despite his misgivings and worry regarding worst-case scenarios, was an understanding sort. Eventually, they settled on allowing the Hulk out every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday during the afternoon. The Hulk would be free to do what he pleased. He could test his strength out in the training room, lazy about, or eat whatever food had caught his eye. Admittedly, the Hulk took great advantage of that last category. Enough so that everyone agreed that it was good that Tony had access to virtually unlimited funds. The Hulk could eat a _lot_ of different pizzas in a single sitting.

Natasha suggested at one point that the group should start up a movie night. The suggestion had confused the Hulk at first, but everyone had agreed to the idea. They decided to start with classic movies, Disney movies included and went from there. Hulk liked most of them, but his absolute favorite was one called _Lilo and Stitch_.

Loki was starting to get sick of hearing that particular film play repeatedly in the background.

"Ohana means family!" Hulk said with a happy smile, loudly mimicking the lines spoken by the characters on the screen. "Stitch no monster! No locked away! Stitch hero!"

The Hulk clapped happily and then shoveled a fist-full of peanuts into his mouth. A large number of peanuts missed and landed on the floor in the process. Loki let out a small sigh from where he was sitting, book in hand as he tried to ignore the big guy's joyous laughter. The big brute really was just a bid child. And Loki was today's babysitter.

Ugh. Why?

Because there was an unspoken deal amongst the group, at least one person had to be with the Hulk while he was out and about. Just to make sure there wasn't an incident. Natasha was usually the one who handled the movie thing. If the Hulk was working on testing his strength or, alternatively, learn to handle objects or people gently, then he would be with Steve. Tony spent a great deal of time trying to teach the Hulk several different magic tricks. While those tricks greatly amused the big guy, he'd not mastered how to do a single trick himself.

Of course, Tony had previously gotten the absolutely _brilliant_ idea to try to play Monopoly with the big guy. The group, as a whole, had agreed on one thing, Never Again. The game had ended in anger, broken tables, tableware, and food on the walls. Never, _ever_ play Monopoly with a guy you don't want to make angry, _Tony_!

Unlike the others, Clint didn't stay at the tower that often unless he was needed. He was the only one whose home was somewhere else. Well, him and Thor.

As for why Loki was stuck, well... Tony had abandoned them to go on a date with Pepper, Natasha had gone to some super-secret meeting, Steve was out training with a friend, and Clint was out doing whatever. This left Loki on watch duty.

Traitors, the lot of them.

Loki did try to spend time with the Hulk now and again. His goal was to build a bond of familiarity and trust, and it was time well spent. However, he was not a big fan of watching the same bloody movie for the eleventh time. And yes, he had counted. The film finally ended, and the Hulk leaned back in his seat, letting out a massive, contemplative sigh.

"Family," he said softly, eyes falling shut and his expression sad. "No one left behind..."

Loki glanced up at the big guy and let out his own sigh, shutting his book and setting it aside.

"I wouldn't be too sad, Hulk," he said gently. "Family is overrated."

Hulk opened his eyes and looked over at Loki, a curious expression in his eyes.

"You got family?" he asked.

"Well, I... I thought I did," Loki admitted after a moment. "Turned out to be a complete lie, however."

Of all the people Loki could have ever imagined giving him a sympathetic look, the Hulk... well, to be honest, the Hulk hadn't even made that list. And yet, there he was, looking back at him with big, sincere, sympathetic eyes.

"You don't need to look at me like that," Loki said with a small snort. "I told you, a family is overrated!"

"Oh," Hulk frowned and looked down thoughtfully.

"You are a strong and magnificent being, Hulk. You don't need a family," Loki said soothingly.

"But... Hulk still want," Hulk said with a big pout. Loki sighed deeply and rubbed at his forehead.

"You have friends now, Hulk," he said. "Surely, that will be enough."

"Friends?" Hulk repeated, head perking up again. Loki almost smiled because of how predictable the big guy was.

"Yes. Myself, Tony, Natasha, Steve, Clint, and Pepper," Loki said, counting off people on his fingers. "All of us are friends."

Hulk smiled and nodded his head, looking genially happy.

"Friends!" he shouted with a beaming smile. He then turned around and started the movie over again. Loki let out a groan. Seriously? Twice in a row? Wasn't that a bit much?

"Stich is from different world!" Hulk said, pointing at the screen. "Like you! Right?"

Loki glanced over at the screen, watching the fictional council argue.

"Yes, that's correct," Loki said, shifting so that he was sitting cross-legged. "You know what's funny? This scene is... reasonably accurate to how the real galactic council behalves. I supposed that bureaucracy will always be the same no matter where you go in the universe. Stuffy, pretentious, and they always think they know better than everyone else."

Hulk turned away from the screen to look at Loki. He fidgeted a moment before speaking.

"Your world..." he asked, voice eager. "What it like?"

Loki went still and remained quiet for a few moments, watching the film while he pulled his thoughts together.

"The place where I grew up?" he asked, at Hulk's eager nod he nodded his head and coughed into his hand. "Well... it... it's beautiful. Buildings made of marble and gold that stretch toward the sky. Every stabilizing pillar is its' own work of art. Some fields stretch as far as the eye can see. Some trees stand as tall as this very building, with roots taller than even you and branches thick enough that animals the size of your world's deer can live without ever once touching the ground. The fields I mentioned? Rivers run through those fields, so deep that the sea-dragons can rest at the bottom and not be bothered by the light of day. Sometimes though, they will rise up, and you can watch as those majestic creatures move about, the sun making their scales shine like living silver and sapphires. During the night, there is a carpet of stars above you. Far more than what you can see here on Earth. So many planets and solar systems that you can gaze upon, all painting the sky. The city itself has massive libraries tasked with keeping thousands of years worth of knowledge safe and preserved for future generations. In the summer, the trees carry the sweetest fruits you could ever know. And during winter, roaring fireplaces will burn inside of the grand hallways, illuminating the walls. Paintings and illustrations of days long past. The flickering of the fires makes them come alive. It's like history itself is unfolding before your very eyes. You could spend a thousand years trying to find every portrait and illustration, and you still won't find them all. There is always something new to discover. Some secret long forgotten or historical artifact misplaced..."

He felt silent, lost in thought and memory. After a moment, he realized that the Hulk was staring intensely at him, the movie forgotten. He was genuinely listening to what Loki was saying, eager to learn more. Loki smirked in amusement.

"Never mind me, my friend. It's in the past," he said gently.

"But... your home," Hulk pointed out gently.

"Not my home anymore," Loki said with a shake of his head as he leaned back in his seat and looked at the ceiling. He waved his hand dismissively. "Not my family. Not my home. Not my business."

"Then... why Robert sad?" Hulk asked, tone still soft.

Loki's hand froze in the air. He blinked at the ceiling, feeling more than a little astounded by the Hulk's words. He turned his head to look at the big guy, who was staring at him in honest confusion.

"Heh... I'm not..." Loki tried to smile and laugh it off, yet the Hulk's honest, curious gaze prevented him from doing so. He shook his head a moment later and dropped his hand. "I don't know. I guess... it just kind of hurts. The place that I thought was my home turned out to be a lie. The people that I thought of as family never were in the first place. It is... difficult. Not knowing who you are. Or who you can trust."

Hulk nodded his head, his expression turning very serious indeed for the big guy.

"Very difficult," he said in agreement. "Human says, not hurt Hulk, but then shoot Hulk. Human say is safe, then Boom! Tank hurts Hulk. It hurts... in here."

The Hulk banged his chest lightly and then shook his head sadly.

"No one trust Hulk," he said softly. "So... Hulk trust no one."

Loki chuckled at that.

"That is a very wise approach, my friend," he said softly. "Very wise indeed."

"Not want me to trust friends?" Hulk asked.

"Only a fool trusts blindly," Loki said with a shake of his head. "And you are no fool. I see that now."

Hulk hummed softly and then smiled brightly.

"Hulk likes funny-man Robert," Hulk said cheerfully. "Hulk's friend!"

Loki smirked and nodded his head in agreement.

"Sure," he said. "Friend."

Conversation over, the Hulk turned back to his movie. Loki, in turn, went back to his book. It was funny, though. This time the film seemed to work as soothing, familiar background noise rather than an annoyance. Loki sank back in his seat, enjoying the calm that settled over him. Hulk's ongoing laughter just made him shake his head in amusement.

It was... nice. Loki was actually quite enjoying his evening. Enjoying the company with him.

How strange...

* * *

_edited by Arei-The Peridot Dragon_


	32. Bonus chapter

_AN: This is a bonus fluff chapter! It didn't fit in anywhere all in the story. The chapter is not essential to the story and can be skipped, but you know. It's fun._

_And let's give a BIG hand to _

_**Arei-The Peridot Dragon** the editor who pulled DOUBLE duty this week to deliver this bonus fluff chapter alongside the REAL chapter posted after this one.  
_

* * *

Loki was in a sour mood. He had been up all night doing research. Writing on pieces of paper, looking up various books, and making calculations on little hand-held machines. Tony kept insisting that Loki should do his work on one of the many computers, but honestly, that felt wrong to him. He couldn't draw what he wanted on a computer, and well... working with pen and paper just felt nice. Calming in a way.

As the sun rose, Loki had moved into the Avengers' main lounge with his work. He wanted a cup of coffee, well, multiple cups of coffee and the lounge was usually a quiet place to work at this time of the morning. Sadly, as he was making his way back to his make-shift workstation with a fresh cup, Clint came running through the room. The archer didn't see Loki and barrelled right into him. Loki's cup went flying and said fresh coffee spilled all over his work.

"Excuse me, pal!" Clint shouted over his shoulder, not even looking back to see who he had run into before he was gone.

Loki just stood there, staring blankly at his paperwork. Twenty hours of work. Twenty. _Hours_. RUINED. Loki picked up his mug with a shaking hand and stood back, staring at the papers with a blank expression. The coffee spill had spread to the edge of the table and was now dripping onto the floor. Tony walked in next and looked over the mess, letting out a whistle.

"Yeah, ya see? This is why I work on a computer. They automatically save every so often, and the saves are stored on a cloud server," Tony said in a casual tone.

Loki's head whipped up, and he glared at the other man venomously. If looks could kill, Tony would be dead.

"I'm just saying," Tony said, raising his hands defensively before moving over to pour a cup of coffee for himself. "Even if you spill coffee on a computer and kill the thing, as long as stuff is properly backed up, you won't lose anything in the long run."

A low growl escaped Loki as Tony left the room. This... This _indignity_ would not go unpunished!

* * *

"Where is it, Tony!?" Clint was shouting at Tony, clearly upset.

"I already told you I didn't take it!" Tony yelled back. "Why the heck would you think that I took that stupid thing?!"

"Because I know where I put it, and you were the only one who goes in there!" Clint snapped back.

Loki was calmly sitting on the other end of the room, watching the drama unfold as he sipped at his coffee. He hid a grin behind the rim of his cup. He wasn't about to let either man know that Clint's high-tech, foldable bow was currently tucked inside the coat he was wearing.

The two men kept arguing for several minutes before walking away from each other, each clearly in a foul mood. Loki let them leave without saying anything. In fact, he allowed the pair to keep bickering off and on until late in the evening once everyone started gathering in the lounge for food. Once he was satisfied that both of them were equally frustrated, he stood up and put the bow down in a place where it was clearly visible. Specifically, right in the middle of the dining table.

Bruce just happened to be the first person to walk by and see the bow. The scientist blinked in surprise and looked over to where Clint was standing on the far side of the room.

"Hey, Clint?" he called out.

"What?" Clint responded, voice laced with annoyance.

"Is there a reason why your bow is laying out on the table?" he asked.

Clint turned to the other man and stared in stunned silence for several minutes before looking at the table.

"What?" he asked, tone confused.

"See! I told you!" Tony shouted from his computer. "I didn't take the blasted thing!"

Clint huffed and walked over to the table, picking up and inspecting the bow.

"Unless you forgot that you did and didn't want to embarrass yourself, so you put it out," Clint snapped.

"Oh, come _on_!" Tony said with a scoff, rubbing at his forehead in frustration. Loki smirked, seated on the couch with his legs crossed and a book in his lap. Ah, the Chaos was a beautiful thing to behold.

"Calm down, boys," Natasha called from her seat. She looked just as amused as Loki did. "You're both wrong. Robert had the bow all day."

Loki sat up straight at that. Both men turned to look at him with similar expressions of shock and confusion. Loki coughed into his hand and looked at Natasha with a smile.

"Erhm, why would you think such a thing?" he asked her.

"Oh, I don't need to tell you that. We could always check the security footage if you insist on your innocence in the matter," Natasha said with a smirk. "Like the _boys_ should have from the start."

Loki gaped at her. Clint looked from his bow to Tony and then to Loki. His eyes narrowed into a glare.

"You... You took... why would you _do_ that?" he snapped. "I wasted all day looking for the stupid thing!"

"_Good_!" Loki snarled back, standing up to his full height. "I spent all day and all night yesterday doing research to help _you_ lot out. Research that _you_ ruined in less than a second by blindly running into me and knocking my coffee all over my work! You didn't even stop to say you were sorry or see if I was okay!"

He rounded on Tony with a growl.

"And _you_!" he snarled. "Twenty hours of work. Twenty hours that I and still working on re-doing! Did I hear one word of condolence or apology from you? NO! I heard the equivalent of a condescending 'too bad, so sad' and an 'I told you so' all rolled into one! Some people _like_ working with pen and paper, _Tony_!"

A stunned silence filled the air. Clint and Tony both looked flabbergasted, Bruce looked embarrassed to be near the argument, and Natasha... still looked amused, but also understanding of Loki's upset.

"So this..." Clint held up his bow and waggled it a bit. "Was a revenge prank?"

Loki let out a huff and then shrugged, his anger leaving him. The silence continued for a few more moments before Tony snorted. The group turned to look at him as one, and Tony ducked his head. Despite that, he couldn't hide his laughter. Natasha's smirk widened, and she too burst into chuckles. Bruce continued to look confused, and a little worried while Clint's expression remained sour.

And yet, after a few moments of laughter, Clint's frown faded into a weak smile, and he laughed. He rubbed at the back of his head and nodded.

"All right. You're right," Clint said through his chuckles. "I totally deserved that."

Loki blinked in surprise, quite frankly surprised by the sudden change in attitude. He was expecting anger. To be yelled at. He'd been fully ready to defend himself for his actions for the next week. This...?

"What?" he asked, voicing his confusion.

"Look, I'm sorry, man. I was in a rush," Clint said seriously, his laughter fading. "I'll be more careful next time. I promise."

"I... oh... Okay. Thank you for apologizing," Loki blinked at the other man, stunned. "I appreciate it."

"Just use a computer, will ya?" Tony said with a wide grin.

"It's how I prefer to work," Loki said, throwing up his hands. "And who knows, you might appreciate that someday. What if the power goes out? What will you do when you can't access any of your computers or files? Then maybe you'll be happy that I have my research in writing."

"I build reactors. I can create power. Hell, if anything, I'll just plug myself into a line," Tony said with a smirk, tapping at the arc reactor on his chest.

Loki let out a snort at that. As much as he hated to admit it, Tony had a point. Tony stood up and walked over to him, clapping a hand on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry to Rob," Tony said. "I didn't realize that it was around twenty hours of work that got ruined. That really had to have sucked. I totally deserved that. Good prank."

Once more, Loki felt too stunned by their reaction to respond right away. He shook his head after a moment and smirked at the other man.

"All is forgiven," he said primly. "I have already had my revenge, after all."

"Yeah. Next time though... can you just talk to us?" Tony asked with a grin. "Save us all some trouble."

Loki looked at him with a raised brow.

"Where would the fun be in that?" he asked, his smirk widening.

Tony's smirk widened as well, and he gave Loki's shoulder another friendly pat before walking away.

"Well, then. At least now when my shit goes missing, I'll know who to suspect," Tony said over his shoulder.

Loki raised an eyebrow at that and pointed to the man's workspace. Specifically, to the mess that was Tony's workspace.

"Have you ever bothered to _look_ at your own mess?" he asked incredulously. "You are always losing things. I am quite certain you did so long before we ever met!"

"Ah.. hnn," Tony stopped and looked over his work area, rubbing at his hair. He looked back at Loki with a grin. "Okay, yeah. Fair point man, fair point."

Everyone chuckled and started to go back to whatever task they had been working on. However, as Loki reclaimed his seat, he found that he had no idea how to feel about events. He hadn't counted on anyone figuring him out, obviously. But, if he had been caught, then he'd thought he would be in trouble. That the others would be angry with him. Not... this.

What was with these strange people?

* * *

A few months later, another unique occurrence happened. Ad far as Loki had been concerned, it was another ordinary, _dreary_ day. Several days earlier, the Avengers had gone out on one of their missions. This time to fight some mutants in the Nevada desert. Loki and Pepper had once more acted as an analytics team from afar.

Today, everyone else was resting and recovering from the fight. Loki had the research lab all to himself for once, which he appreciated. The so-called heroes could be a bit much to deal with after a fight. Some peace and quiet was nice. As such, a call from the intercom startled him.

"Robert, are you there?" Pepper's chipper voice asked.

"I am, yes," Loki responded, not removing his eyes from the screen he was scanning.

"Could you come down to the lounge for a second?" she asked.

"Why? I am a little busy at the moment," he said distractedly.

"Just come down, please?" she asked again.

"Fine, fine. I will be but a moment," Loki said, not happy with being interrupted from his work.

He pulled out a handkerchief to dry his forehead as he stepped into the elevator. Tucking the cloth away, he gave the order to be taken to the lounge and waited. When he stepped into the lounge, however, he froze in shock and blinked in confusion.

The rest of the Avengers were collected in the room, everyone lounging on the large couches. True, they usually celebrated after winning a battle, but the party was usually held the night after the fight. Loki raised an eyebrow and looked to Pepper, who was the only one currently standing. She had her hands behind her back and a big smile on her face.

"What?" he asked.

"Surprise!" Pepper shouted with a beaming smile, revealing the item she'd had behind her.

It was a square item wrapped up in bright purple paper with a bow neatly tied on top of it. Loki looked at the present in Pepper's hand, held out towards him. He looked up and blinked at her again in confusion. Pepper blinked back and shifted on her feet.

"It... It's for you," she said.

"Oh... Okay. Thank you," Loki took the item and immediately had to shift to hold it better. It was surprisingly heavy. He looked back up at her. "Why?"

"Dude, seriously?" Tony said from his spot on the couch. "It's your birthday!"

"It... is?" Loki turned to look at the nearby calendar on the wall. He blinked when he saw that the current date lit up was December the 17th. The day that he had claimed as his date of birth when he made his current persona. "Ah. So it is."

He looked down at the package, his eyes blank and emotionless. Clint snorted softly from his own seat.

"It's not a bomb, Robert," he said gently.

"Huh?" Loki looked up at him with a blink. He nodded a moment later. "Oh, right. Of course, it's not."

The room fell silent. Tony coughed into his hand.

"You going to open that up, man?" Tony asked drily, a grin on his lips. "We've even got cake and booze. Yeah, sure, we beat Abomination and his minions, mostly thanks to the Hulk. Just wait until you see this huge bathtub I got for him. Filled the thing with his favorite chips..."

Bruce coughed in his hand, and Tony flashed him a contrite grin. The genius did have a habit of jumping around topics like a bee traveling from flower to flower.

"Anyway, that's for later tonight," he said firmly, holding up his drink in Loki's direction. "Today, it's about you, Robert, my man. Get over here, open your gift, have a slice of cake, and grab a glass! Happy Birthday!"

Loki let out a sigh but walked over to the others. There was a delicate-looking chocolate cake on the table and a glass of white wine. His favorite Earth brand no less. As he sat down, something shifted inside him, turning his stomach sour and killing his appetite. He didn't know why. It was almost as if he felt... guilty.

No... No. Of course, that wasn't it. Loki looked down at the package in his hands and reached up to gently remove the bow and ribbon. He turned the box this way and that, before slowly starting to unwrap it. Tony looked about ready to rip it out of his hands and turn the wrapping paper into confetti rather than wait for Loki to finish his methodical unwrapping. Pepper, in turn, was twisting her fingers around nervously.

"I hope it's alright," she said suddenly into the silence. "You're... surprisingly challenging to buy for. I... didn't know what you might want as a gift, so I did my best..."

Loki looked up at her with a blink. So, Pepper had been the one to choose his gift. Of course, it was her. She was likely also the one who had kept track of his birthday and had insisted on something like this. Finally, he removed the last of the paper and pulled out a rather heavy book titled _Arts of the World_. He opened it up and saw why it was so heavy. The pages were thick because they were covered in high-resolution, laminated photos of the most famous pieces of art on Earth, along with their descriptions. Each description spoke of the artist who made the work, the date it was created, and the place where it was currently on display. Some pages were only longer descriptions about the art and artist in question. Loki turned a page and found himself looking at the photo of a painting along a church's ceiling. Loki glanced over the text and noted that this was an image of the 'Sistine Chapel.' He looked back at the image of the painting, fingers gliding over the page.

He had to admit... it was breathtaking.

"I hope it's alright," Pepper said, tone almost shy.

"It's wonderful," Loki said, looking up at her. "Thank you for the kind gift."

"It's from all of us," she said with a relieved smile.

Right... sure it was. Pepper was the one who had put in all the time to find the damned thing. Everyone else may have chipped in to get the gift, but so what? She was clearly the brains behind the entire operation.

"Oh! I just had an idea," Pepper exclaimed with a clap of her hands. "Tell us which painting you like the best, and for your Christmas present, we can go and see it in person? How does that sound?"

"Christmas present?!" Loki repeated, feeling bewildered.

"What is with you?" Tony asked with a laugh. "Are you like Oliver Twist and never been to a Christmas party or something? For the record, when you're looking for something for me, I only accept the highest quality booze. I know, supposedly, that it's the thought that counts, but come on! I'm paying you guys a pretty decent salary and am a damn good boss to boot!"

"You're financing us, Tony," Natasha said with a sigh and a roll of her eyes. "That doesn't make you our boss."

"I'm pretty sure it does. I'm paying you," Tony shrugged. "Eh, whatever."

Loki smirked gently and shook his head at their antics, settling in to enjoy the small party.

It was... nice.

* * *

A few days later, Thor arrived to celebrate what the humans called Christmas with both the Avengers and his human girlfriend. Sadly, Loki was unable to avoid the oaf as the thunder god had chosen to arrive in Loki's room. Holding a large package. Loki stared at it. Thor sighed and held it out towards him with a small smile.

"It's from Mother," he said gently.

"From _your_ mother, you mean," Loki said snidely, snorting. Still, he took the package and put it on the floor to open it, looking over its' various contents carefully.

There was a bottle of fine wine, the kind only available to the royal family of Asgard. Some of the various fruits that could only be harvested from Frigga's personal garden. A batch of freshly made, herbal cookies also native to Asgard. All in all, it was filled with edibles that could only be obtained from Asgard itself.

"It's a care package," Thor said with a beaming smile. "To remind you of home."

"Idiot," Loki growled scathingly. "I don't have a home!"

Still... the scent of the cookies especially got to him, making his stomach and heart twist with longing. Even the wine smelled so wonderfully sweet when he opened it. Loki had to fight mightily to hold back the urge to cry.

It felt like an eternity since he had last tasted any of this.

"Of course you do. And you always will. I won't ask you who sent you today, it's Christmas after all, and you should focus on happier things, my Brother," Thor took a step backward and bowed his head. "But I will ask this; please at least _consider_ telling me who sent you to attack Earth the next time I visit. Merry Christmas, Loki."

He left a moment later, and Loki was left behind, looking over what Thor had brought to him. He felt conflicted. Should he just toss it all? That... would be a shame though, wouldn't it? A gift from the Queen of Asgard was not something one simply... _threw away_. Loki reached for a cookie and hesitantly bit into it. The familiar flavor and scent overwhelmed him, and he swallowed roughly, closing his eyes. It was so good. He took another bite. Then another. Before he knew it, he had eaten the whole thing and had already moved on to the next one.

It's not like anyone had to know how much he loved these cookies.

The next thing Loki knew, they were at the Sistine Chapel itself. Easy to travel the distance when you had private jets at your beck and call the way Tony did.

Tony, Steve, and Pepper were there with him. The rest of the team had politely declined and opted to stay behind to be with friends and family. Pepper and Steve had gone because they had also been genuinely interested in going to see the art. Tony, as usual, went wherever Pepper went. Even though he hadn't been as enthused as the others, he stood staring up at the ceiling of the Chapel with wide eyes.

"Okay, I'll admit it," Tony said after a few minutes of silence. "This is amazing. Much better than just seeing it on the computer. Wow."

Loki smiled faintly at that, looking up at the artwork above him. Mortals, short-lived mortal humans, had made this. They made this long before they had invented modern technology and art styles. And it was still here to be viewed. That was... quite something really, he had to admit. Looking up at this testimate to ingenuity and creativity, he had to also admit that... he felt rather small.

Midgardian artwork was... something else. It made one wonder what else the humans had to offer.

* * *

_An: It is according to official Marvel comics that Lokis birthday is December 17, which I think is awesome because that's the day after my own birthday XD _


	33. Trouble in paradise

The tone was far more severe than usual as the Avengers gathered in Tony's lounge. Well, all of them but Thor. While the blonde was an official member of the Avengers, humans had yet to invent a communications system that could reach beyond their own solar system. Not only that, but Thor had failed to provide them with a means of contact him. Loki would have pointed that out to Thor the next time he saw him, but he was not about to grant the big Oaf any favors.

Bruce was in charge of his body for this little meeting. Which made sense. He was still the one 'in charge' most of the time as he was the one with the most developed brain. For now. Loki had already come to the conclusion that the Hulk did not lack in the intelligence department. All that he really lacked was experience. The Hulk's ability to absorb, learn, draw conclusions, and grow as an individual so quickly, showed that he might very well have the potential to become smarter than Bruce.

That thought... didn't actually sit very well with Loki. The Hulk was frightening enough as it as given his seemingly limitless strength. Combine that with an intelligence as great if not greater than Bruce's? Loki mentally shook his head. As it was, Hulk still had the mental growth of a one or two-year-old at this point. Even though he had potential, it would be years before Loki would have to concern himself with the big green guy outpacing him.

Years that could pass in the blink of an eye.

How many of the others had caught on to the same thing? How many of the Avengers has realized the Hulk's sheer potential? A one-year-old able to form complete sentences and grasp the complex concepts of life and death was... remarkable in all honesty. Loki mentally shook his head a second time.

That wasn't the team's concern right now. Natasha had been gone for a secret meeting and had returned with new information.

"Right. You all recall the mind-staff that had been wielded by Loki during his attack on New York," she started, her tone grim. "It went missing while S.H.I.E.L.D was purging Hydra from its' ranks. We've finally been able to confirm that it is in Hydra's hands at this time. There is a good chance that they are, or will be, using it for Human Experimentation."

Steve hissed through his teeth like an angry cat, his jaw flexing with contained anger. Natasha flashed a knowing look his way before focusing on the group.

"Sadly, we do not currently know where they are keeping it stored," Natasha said, crossing her arms and cocking her hip in a pose that exuded her annoyance and upset. "Fury has been searching for potential leads, but he hasn't found anything beyond confirmation that the staff is in their hands."

"You think we can trace the staff given that it gives off Gamma Radiation?" Tony asked thoughtfully.

"I already tried," Bruce said, equally thoughtful. "Nothing came up right away. Keep in mind, though, that it is possible to shield Gamma radiation sources to prevent that. Remember the suitcases used to store the staff and the Tesseract? They were lined with a led layer that kept the radiation contained. Hydra could be holding the mind-staff in a led container to stop us from tracking the source. That or... they could just be deep enough underground to block the signal."

Loki frowned and put his hand to his chin. Perhaps... it would be smarter for him to leave the staff in Hydra's hands rather than try to reclaim it. The Avengers were concerned about what Hydra might do with the staff. They didn't know that there was a much larger threat looming in the darkness of space. If the Avengers could track the staff, they would likely try to retrieve it themselves.

The fact that Hydra seemed to be keeping it so well hidden might prove to be a good thing in the long run.

On the other hand, it was a great tool. Loki could use it without having access to his own magic. Anyone could if they knew how to trigger its' abilities. If led could be used to hide it from those searching for it, he could then continue with his plan to recover the staff for himself. It was a quandary. Retrieve the mind-staff and conceal it from both the Avengers and Hydra, keeping it as a trump card or leave it where it was so that the Avengers could try to reclaim it.

The biggest question was, would it be worth the risk?

"We have to find it!" Steve all-but shouted. Rather predictably too. "We cannot allow Hydra to experiment with it!"

"Yeah, I agree. That thing is nasty," Clint agreed with a heavy sigh and a shiver. "Hydra having a hold of it is bad news."

Loki allowed his eyes to fall shut. The Avengers were going to look for it no matter what from the sound of it. Trying to sabotage their efforts would do nothing but put him in the spotlight. Something he was trying to avoid. The group was already suspicious of him and for good reason. Very well, then. The risk wasn't worth it. He would allow them to do whatever they intended and observe from a distance. From there, he would interfere only if they did something incredibly foolish. Like trying to use the mind-staff out in the open.

Perhaps, if he timed it just right, he could snatch the staff right out from under the Avengers noses and hide it for himself. Preferably without them realizing he was the one who took it. Well, regardless. He was not without options. Thankfully.

"So... what do we know about Hydra's current operations?" Tony asked.

"Not much," Natasha responded with a sigh. "Once their efforts to infiltrate S.H.I.E.L.D were revealed, they scattered and went underground. All facilities that S.H.I.E.L.D. have found thus far have been abandoned. S.H.I.E.L.D. has already raided those locations and is keeping them under watch. The mind-staff has to be located somewhere new and possibly off-grid."

"Man. They are not making this easy for us, are they?" Tony asked with a sarcastic roll of his eyes.

The group was silent for a long moment before Steve looked up, eyes serious.

"I... may have a way to get a bit of information to help us," he said calmly. "I'm going to need a little bit of time, however."

Everyone turned to look at him, curiosity in most of their eyes. Steve met their gazes but refused to elaborate his statement. Steve had a way to get information on Hydra? But how... Loki realized what he meant, and he felt like hitting his forehead with a palm. Of course! Bucky! Steve had a way to contact Bucky, and Bucky had been in Hydra's clutches for over fifty years. Chances were high that the man would know at least something that could point them in the right direction.

Loki almost smiled. Steve had yet to share information about Bucky with the other Avengers. How surprising. Even the good soldier had his own dirty secrets that he wanted to keep hidden. Nice to know that Mr. stars and stripes wasn't as squeaky clean as he appeared.

"Well... Okay then," Tony said with a nod and a grin. "Sure. Do whatever you need to do, Cap. Just get back to us if you find anything out, yeah?"

"Ahem," Loki cleared his throat, drawing the group's attention to himself. He nudged his glasses back up along his nose. "We have spent our time thus far trying to find out if there are other objects similar to the Tesseract and mind-staff here on Earth. Our aim thus far has been simply to seek them out, and if found, figure out how and why they were placed here. Assuming that you find this mind-staff and are successful in recovering it, can you tell me what you intend to do with it once it is in your hands?"

The room fell into a stunned silence. Loki looked at each of them, expression serious. Their response would determine his actions going forward.

"Well... I'm not sure," Tony said hesitantly. "I guess we'll have to find it first and then we can figure out what to do with it."

"We shouldn't use it," Steve said firmly. "We should lock it away and make sure that no one can find it."

"And what if it can be used for good?" Tony asked with a shake of his head. "You're a prime example of the good these objects can do. You're only as strong as you are _because_ scientists managed to harness the power of the Tesseract."

"I was _lucky_, Tony!" Steve all but growled back. "That thing has also destroyed so many others. If you had seen for yourself the destruction that thing had brought about during the war, you would agree with me. I saw it with my own eyes! It's not a power that can be controlled!"

"You mean that it couldn't be controlled with the tech they had at the time," Tony pointed out firmly. "Technology has advanced in leaps and spades since then! Not only that, but you didn't have _me_ back then! Look at what can be done with the Arc Reactor alone!"

"These artifacts are unstable," Bruce said, butting into the conversation. "It was the attempt to recreate the effects of the Tesseract that resulted in the Hulk to begin with."

"They seemed pretty stable to me. Besides, what happened with you wasn't that bad of a thing," Tony countered. "The Hulk saved the Earth from Loki, didn't he?"

"Tony, that was pure luck!" Bruce argued back. "And the fact that the Hulk can be reasoned with is also pure, dumb luck!"

"Tony's right that there may be some potential good to be found though," Natasha said thoughtfully. "Who's to say the mind-staff couldn't help people in a coma or those who were indoctrinated or similar situations? Studying it under a highly controlled environment might be prudent."

"I say we throw it into the sun and hope that destroys the staff," Clint said firmly. "As long as that thing exists, we don't know who else might get a hold of it. What if someone who can't be trusted nabs the thing? It was bad enough when Loki had a hold of it. Hydra? If they _are_ doing human experimentation? What do you think will be next? No. We need to destroy it. Better not to take chances."

"You can't just do that!" Tony said, throwing his hands up in frustration. "Yeah, it's a big mystery as to how the thing works. That's why we should study it! I mean, seriously dude, what if the secrets of the universe are hidden within it? Not only that, Nat's right. Maybe it could be used to save lives. Maybe even millions of lives. I mean, think about it. It's called a '_mind_-staff' for a reason. What if studying it helps people in a coma, or with Alzheimer's, PTSD, or dementia? We need to examine it further, not just destroy it 'cause we're scared of it!"

Loki remained silent as the Avengers fell to sudden bickering. They were working themselves up quite a bit, arguments for and against keeping the staff building. Each side had a good point, and yet... they only backed off and calmed down when they noticed that Bruce's veins started to turn green. Loki glanced from one person to the next and sighed heavily. Right then. Clearly, humans couldn't be trusted with the staff.

"Look... let's... let's just focus on finding the staff first and getting it out of Hydra's hands," Steve said firmly. "From there, we will figure out what to do with it as a group. Everyone agreed? Tony?"

Tony bit his lower lip and ran a hand through his hair before he nodded.

"Okay, sure," he said with a sigh. "I hear you, Cap."

Bruce frowned and glanced over at Loki.

"Robert, you didn't share your opinion about the staff," he said, his expression curious if a little wary.

All eyes were again on Loki as the group realized that Bruce was right. Loki had been the only one not to share his thoughts on the matter despite having asked the question in the first place. Loki shifted slightly, and Tony grinned at him.

"You want to experiment with it, too, don't you?" Tony asked eagerly. "That's why you're here, to get closer to that stuff. Right?"

Loki glanced down and to the side. He shook his head as he looked back up at the group.

"No," he said firmly. "That staff does not originate on Earth. It... I believe that it belongs to _someone_. Who is to say that said 'someone' won't want it back? If you well and truly would like my advice, then hide that accursed thing somewhere far, far away from here."

The room fell into a state of absolute, stunned silence at his words. They looked at each other and then back to him.

"Didn't the staff belong to Loki?" Tony asked hesitantly. "And Loki is locked away on Asgard, so... we're fine, right?"

"But where did Loki get the staff from?" Loki asked, keeping his tone casual. "You really think that such an artifact didn't have a previous owner? Even if it didn't, do you really believe that an object of such power would not be sought by creatures all across the galaxy? Think about it. Here on Earth, Hydra went out of its' way to obtain the staff. Who else, on just the Earth, would like to get it? After the attack on New York, you all know that the universe is vast. You are no longer under the illusion that you are alone. Again, that staff, the Tesseract, they are not of the Earth. Loki brought it with him, _from space_. You're a smart man, Tony, but what makes you think that you can understand that which is not from your own world?"

Tony swallowed roughy, his eyes going distant as if he could see something no one else could. Clearly, he was intimidated by Loki's words. The rest of the group also looked thoughtful.

"I suppose that doesn't matter right now," Loki said with a shrug after several minutes of silence. "We don't even have possession of the staff. Do what you will once you have it."

An awkward silence once more fell over the group. It continued as the group separated, their meeting obviously over. Everyone... just kind of went away to focus on their own projects, their heads filled with the thoughts, the warning, that Loki had given them.

Now... what would they do with that warning...?


	34. Days gone by

_The Universe… _

_It stretched on forever. Each star with its' own solar system. Each cluster its' own galaxy. There were countless worlds, societies, and species to be found. _

_And Loki was free to walk among them. To observe them. _

_Sometimes, he would reach out with his hand and stir up a little trouble, observing what would come of his meddling. What would happen when you disrupted the carefully placed pillars of society?_

_It was fascinating to him. Like... tipping one little domino over and watching the rest fall as a result. Sometimes patterns would emerge. Sometimes it would just collapse into a mess. It would never be anything other than fascinating to Loki. How could it be dull? To see an entire society scramble about, their chains broken and then reformed anew. _

_A little push here. A shove there. A sudden war._

_It was... all so removed from him. Loki stood upon the Rainbow Bridge, looking down below him and watching the chaos. The wind caught his black hair, billowing out his green cape behind him. He ignored it. Instead, he reached out a hand and created the image of a tree. The tree was made out of pure light, and it stretched out both above and below him. The branches stretched out to cover the sky. The roots over the darkness below. It was massive and beautiful to behold. _

_Loki strode around the tree, circling it as magic flowed through his veins as freely as his blood. His beautiful creation, his art, his Masterpiece, unfurled before him. The tree grew and grew until the star and planets looked like fruit dangling from the tree. _

Look, _he thought proudly. _This is my Gift to you. To the Universe!

_Suddenly, a shadow appeared. Cruel and dark. When it touched Loki's tree, it started to wither. To die. Cracks and rot spreading over the once pure white creation. _

No, _he thought desperately. _No-No-No! My Masterpiece! NO!

_He reached out with both hands, tried to use his magic to heal and repair the tree. But nothing happened. No energy came to his fingertips. It was as if he had been bled dry of all magic. Loki looked at his trembling hands in shock. _

_"No," he said, voice breathy with his panic. "You can't! It's mine! You cannot have it!"_

_"Ah... what is this that has fallen into my lap?" another voice echoed around him._

_Loki's head jerked up, and he froze. Before him lay a massive throne made of stone. The mad Titan Thanos sat upon it, chin in hand and a bored, yet interested, expression on his cruel face. Loki seethed openly as he straightened to his full height, hand slashing through the air to point at the other being._

_"Begone from here, Mad Titan!" he roared with his hand outstretched. _

_Nothing happened. The blast of energy that Loki had intended to launch into the Titan's face did not appear. There wasn't even a hint of a spark. His magic was gone._

_"Ha... HahaHAHA!" the Mad Titan's cruel laughter filled the air for a long moment. He fell silent and smirked at Loki. "Is that all you have to show me, little mortal?"_

_"You are a fool! Do not dare to mock me!" Loki snarled back angrily. "I am a GOD! I shall take my revenge upon he who would Dare treat me as if I were a servant!"_

_"Oh? Are you really?" Thanos asked, tone idle. Bored even. He eyed Loki over, and his smirk widened. "No. I see nothing but a mortal before me."_

_"A mortal?" Loki repeated his expression now one of confusion. "I am no mere _Mor-_"_

_And yet... he fell silent and looked down at his hands. His body. No more did he see a form made of power and lean muscle, but a weak human shell. His hands trembled as he reached up to touch a face _that was not his own.

_"No," he said in a strangled voice. "NO! This is NOT who I am!"_

_He turned away, only to be faced with a blue-skinned woman with a cold, dead smile. She grabbed hold of his throat and yanked him close. _

_"NRGH!" Loki hissed through his teeth, unable to gather the air needed to yell with that tight grip closing off his airway._

_"Tell me, how does it feel to be so weak?" she whispered softly, voice cold and bereft of emotion. "Does it hurt? Please say it hurts. It's no fun if it doesn't _hurt_."_

_Her hand tightened. Another hiss spilled form Loki's lips, and he tried to struggle free. Sadly, he lacked the strength, and she lifted him up to dangle over the abyss. There was nothing beneath him. Nothing but an endless fall into depths of the void. _

_"Oh, Brother," a voice said. Loki looked up, and instead of the blue-skinned woman, it was the Golden Prince of Asgard holding him by the throat. Yet, instead of the anger and a perverse hunger that filled the woman's eyes, Thor's seemed to be filled only with pity. "Why did it need to come to this?"_

_Another hiss of breath escaped Loki, and his eyes began to tear up as he struggled for breath. _

_"Not of Asgard, nor of Jotunheim. Certainly not of Midgard," Thor said before shaking his head and letting out a sigh. "No matter where you go, all you bring with you is suffering. It would probably be for the best if I... just let go."_

_"Then..." Loki managed to gasp out as he held back his tears, "do it. Let... let go. I don't... I don't need you! Urk. Let go... I want you to let go!"_

_Thor let out another heavy-hearted sigh and released his grip. _

_Loki fell..._

Loki's eyes flew open, and his body jerked up, flailing for a moment until he realized he was in his bed. His entire body was covered in sweat, and he shakily wiped at his face as he gasped for air. His heart hammered wildly in his chest as he fought to compose himself.

_It was... a nightmare, _he thought to himself. _Just another nightmare. It wasn't real. _

Loki shook his head and then rubbed at his bleary eyes. He glanced at the window and saw that it was raining heavily outside. Fat drops of water struck hard against the windowpane, drumming out a mindless beat. The only light that could be seen was from the city itself, and yet somehow, even that seemed darker than usual.

Loki shifted and swung his feet over the edge of the bed. His feet hit the cold floor, and he forced himself to his feet. He walked over to the mirror and groaned at the sight within. He focused on his eyes, his own natural green eyes, and braced his hands against the wall to either side of the mirror.

_I am Loki, _he thought, almost desperately. _I am Loki! And I am a _GOD_!"_

He kept repeating that thought repeatedly, gazed locked on the reflection of his eyes. His mind slowly began to settle, the thudding beat of the rain helping to soothe his racing heart. He closed his eyes and let out a sigh.

He'd been on Ear-_Midgard_ for four years now...

Four years was nothing for an Asgardian or even a Jotunn for that matter. Nothing but a fleeting second compared to the centuries, nay millennia, that either race could live to.

Four years since his banishment and... he could not deny that the days felt longer now that he was walking amongst the humans rather than stand above them. Yet, at the same time, the days had also blended together into a blur. He hummed as he thought of all they had been doing.

Working on improving their ability to track Gamma radiation, locating Hydra bases, acting as a co-coordinator behind the computer screen when the Avengers felt once more that they had to be involved with all kinds of nonsense occurring all over the world. It didn't matter if it was mutants in the Nevada desert or a man able to control gravity itself showing his face in the Antarctic. If it was a strange occurrence that might prove to be too much for the governments of the world to handle, the Avengers would arrive to help. They would fight, struggle to survive, eventually win the battle, and then celebrate. They would talk, joke around, tell tales and laugh before letting out sighs of relief that everyone was alright and going on with their day.

Sometimes they would bicker. More often, they would tease each other and get on each other's nerves before laughing and shaking their heads in resignation. Sometimes they would get bored and play card games together. Heck, at one point, Loki had joined one of those games. Tony had thrown his own hand of cards at Loki's face while proclaiming that Loki was cheating, and he would figure out how soon enough. And Loki's response? He just laughed and waved away the accusation with a wave of his hand, while skillfully concealing the fact that Tony was, in fact, correct. While they were semi-playfully bickering, he was able to observe Clint tucking a card into a sleeve. Not even a minute later, Clint blinked in shock. The card he had so carefully tucked away had somehow landed in Loki's hand.

Steve and Nat would often spar in the boxing ring while everyone else gathered to place bets. More often than not, Hulk would ruin the whole thing by getting way too excited with the match. He would clap his hands so hard and so lough, that the entire building shook. The first time that happened, everyone had been briefly frightened that the building would collapse. After a few minutes of tense silence, everyone burst into relieved laughter. Tony had ordered pizza for the team, five for Hulk. Hulk was overjoyed at the thought of more pizza but also asked if he could have some grapes too.

Tony had approved the request readily enough, and the next thing Loki knew, the Hulk was offering him half of his grapes. Just because he knew that Loki enjoyed them as well. Loki hadn't been touched by the gesture. He hadn't. And he certainly did not excuse himself to stand off to the side, out of sight, to collect himself. That was nothing short of an outlandish rumor.

So many things had happened. It was challenging to maintain his composure some days. Loki had to remind himself more and more often that he was only pretending. Play-acting. Any feelings he had towards these people were fake and, when the time was right, he would turn his back to them.

_Remember that Loki, _he thought to himself firmly. _Remember who you are. The mortal 'Robert Johnson' is nothing more than a facade. A mask. He is not real. Just another of your many lies. You are the GOD LOKI. You are... you are..._

The night sky was suddenly lit up with a brilliant bolt of lightning. A great big boom filled the air, not a second later.

Loki lifted his head and looked toward the window. Could it be that they had a visitor? He sighed and started toward the door to his room. He didn't bother to change his clothes or put on shoes. No, Loki simply walked out into the hallway and took the elevator to the roof. He stepped outside, ignoring the rain and walked over toward the edge of the building. Just enough to see New York below him. The lights of the city shone brightly as if he was staring at a carpet woven of dim stars.

It didn't take long for Loki to be soaked through to the skin. Less than a second, really. His night-shirt and pants clung to his body like a drenched second skin. His hair, short as it might be, was plastered to his face. Another lightning strike landed right in front of him. Loki didn't flinch. Instead, he looked up and watched the bolt of energy rip its' way through the dark night sky.

As Loki expected, Thor appeared. Flying from the sky and landing heavily beside him. Loki did not turn to look at him. He kept his gaze up toward the cloudy, dark sky. Once more, he hadn't flinched.

"What's this?" Thor's questioning voice filled the air. Now that Loki thought about it, the man's voice sounded quite a bit like thunder. "You face the rain to come outside to greet me, but then say not one word of welcome?"

"You assume too much," Loki said in a dry tone. "What makes you think I came out here to greet you rather than merely observe the storm?"

Thor fell silent for a time. Loki could only imagine how puzzled his expression was. He refused to turn his gaze away from the storm.

"Ah... Well then. Mother sends her greets," Thor said in a gentle tone. "She hopes that you are doing well."

"Your mother is most kind," Loki said in a dull tone devoid of emotion. Thor sighed deeply at his words before continuing.

"How fare the Avengers?" Thor asked after another few moments of awkward silence.

"Fine. It is believed that we have finally tracked down the mind-staff that I wielded four years ago," Loki said, blinking up at the sky. "We were waiting for you to come, as we believe that your strength would be beneficial to our attempt to retrieve it."

"I see. Then I would be honored to lend you my strength," Thor said, nodding firmly. He fell silent before fidgeting. "And how are you faring, Bro-"

His voice faded when Loki raised up a hand. Thor let out a sigh and nodded his head.

"Loki," he said, correcting himself.

"I am well," Loki said simply. He was not about to leave Thor any openings for pleasantries. Well meant or otherwise.

Thor let out another small sigh and looked up at the sky as well. He spoke after another moment.

"You have yet to tell us whose army you were controlling when you attacked New York," he said. "Please tell me, the mind-staff you will have me help retrieve, where did you get it?"

"There is no need for you to know that," Loki said firmly. "I shall handle it on my own."

"Bro-_Loki_," Thor started, correcting his words once more, "there is no shame in asking for aid from an ally. The Avengers are a team because none of them can do these things alone, and they strengthen each other. You strengthen them by aiding them. Because of your observational skills and cleverness, many a victory has been claimed. Is it really so bad then, asking for aid when it is needed?"

Loki smirked in dark amusement and chuckled. He shook his head in frustration.

"So, you would have me turn to you for aid? To beg for your help on hands and knees?" he asked in a cold tone. "I shall do no such thing!"

Thor let out a defeated sigh. Once more, he had said something wrong and offended his Brother.

"That's not it," he said firmly, but gently. "You must know that."

"Regardless," Loki said with a huff of frustration, "your concern is noted, but it is NOT needed."

"Loki..." Thor let out a huff of his own. "Why do you do this? Why do you push us away and insist on walking on your own?"

Loki didn't reply.

"It started back then, didn't it? When I took you and the others to Jotunnheim?" Thor asked in a soft tone. "Loki, I know what I did then was wrong. By the Norns, I know! I am truly sorry for what I did, Loki. You refused to listen to either Odin or I after that. So much so that... when I asked you to hold on, when I begged you not to let go... you still did so. _Why_, Loki?"

Lok remained silent and cold for a long moment. Finally, _finally_, he turned to look at Thor. As their eyes met, a faint sneer came to Loki's lips.

"Thor," he stated, "I have _always_ walked my own path. You have merely been too dense to notice."

Thor frowned at Loki's words, clearly not buying what he was being told. Loki smirked and waved a hand dismissively.

"We have known each other for a thousand years, yet it is only now that it sinks in, isn't it?" he asked with a dark chuckle. "You do not, and have not, ever really understood all that I am capable of."

"I have a fair idea of what you can do," Thor said with a faint smile. "You've always been the trickster. Looking back, I can admit that I was blind to several things in the past. But that still does not answer my question, Loki. _Why_?"

"Hmm? Does it keep you up at night?" Loki asked with a mocking grin as if he was amused by such a thought. "Do you twist and turn in your bed, wondering 'why?' 'Why did _poor little Loki _let go?' Do you feel guilty, _Thor_?"

Thor's smile faded into a frown. His eyes turned hard, locked as they were on Loki's darkly amused visage. It was clear to Loki that Thor was not amused by his words. Loki turned to look back at the sky.

"My life was over that day either way," he said, voice once more empty.

"What do you mean by that, Loki?" Thor asked.

"Do you truly think that Odin would be kind to the off-spring of the Jotunnheim?" he asked. "Those who brought destruction to his Realm? The choice was simple; let go and fall into the nothingness or spend an eternity in one of the cold, dark cells below the palace. I decided not to allow him a final say in my fate. Nothing more."

"You don't know that, Loki!" Thor said, tone affronted.

"Oh? Is that not what would have happened to me, had you not stepped in to change my sentence?" Loki said, turning away from Thor and stepping closer to the balconies edge.

"You had added significantly to your list of crimes by that point," Thor reminded him gently. He stepped up next to Loki so that they were once more side by side. This time their gazes were turned on the city rather than the stormy sky. "And Oden _did _concede to a punishment that matched my own."

"Only because he could see that doing otherwise would result in him playing the role of a hypocrite," Loki scoffed. Thor, in turn, let out a sigh.

"Look, I know that Odin isn't perfect," Thor said. "I... I learned that quite recently."

Loki let out a disgusted snort, and Thor turned to look at him.

"Loki?" he quired curiously.

"You can't even imagine it, can you?" Loki asked drily. "You cannot imagine what it must feel like when everything you were, everything you _thought _you were, is just... gone."

"Loki," Thor started earnestly, "your banishment does not have to be-"

"I am not speaking of my banishment, you stupid Oaf!" Loki snarled.

"I... oh," Thor blinked and rubbed at the back of his neck. "You meant... your blood. Yes?"

"Yes," Loki said, voice falling into a hiss as he looked at Thor, fury in his eyes. "Can you get it through your thick skull now? One day, you find out that everything you know is nothing but a vile lie. That everything you tried to achieve, _everything_ you have been attempting to accomplish was a joke! I am no one. _Nothing_."

Thor's eyes filled with pain and sorrow, but he said nothing. He was at a loss for words.

"Does it make sense now, Thor?" Loki asked in a mocking tone. "The rules have always been different for us. You were able to bumble your way through life, always somehow managing to come out on top, smelling of roses. Despite your many screw-ups, everyone would shower you with adoration and praise. And I? Bah! I make a mistake, take one false step, and all I faced was scorn and mockery!"

"That's not true, Loki!" Thor said, hopelessly trying to make Loki see the truth. "We adored you!"

"Did you now?" Loki asked sarcastically, his gaze sharp and cold as he met Thor's eyes and sneered. "Do you remember what you always said? What was it again? Ah yes, 'I shall kill all of the Jotunns and make them pay!' And what would everyone do? Hm? They would clap their little hands in approval of such proud, _brave_ words that spilled from your mouth. Yet when push came to shove, who was the one really ready to match word to deed? Me! I was the one prepared to act! Not you, _me_!"

Loki pointed at himself with a small flourish before letting his hands fall to his sides. Thor remained silent, stunned by the outburst. Loki continued.

"What did I get in response? Where was my thank you, my approval, my _applause_?" he asked, still sneering. "All I did was follow Odin's own example. It is no secret that Odin conquered, _conquered_, the Nine Realms. We were told those stories as children! We _both_ aspired to live up to those stories. I did what he asked of us. What he always wanted from his children. It was for him. _For HIM!_ Do you understand now?!"

Thor's eyes fell shut. It looked like he was in physical pain. Another lightning bolt flashed in the distance, the thunder filling the air only a few moments later. Thor opened his eyes as another bolt lit up the area around him and met Loki's gaze. It was hard to read either male's emotions by looking at them at this point, but the rumbling in the distance gave away Thor's true feelings readily enough. He was in turmoil.

"You are right, Loki," Thor said with a sigh. "Father is... There is plenty of blame to go around. Much lands at his feet, however."

Loki blinked at Thor, honestly surprised that the blonde was willing to admit it. He shook his head, composing himself, and blanking his expression of emotion.

"And yet you still aim to be like him, don't you?" Loki asked as he turned to lean against the metal railing. He glanced over his shoulder, meeting Thor's now narrowed gaze.

"_No_," Thor said in response. "I no longer seek to emulate Odin. I have no desire to be as he is. I aim to do better. To _be_ better. That is why I refused the throne when he offered it to me once more."

"Oh?" Loki said, blinking in surprise. Thor nodded in response and then shook his head as he looked at the sky.

"The things that I wished for while on Jotunnheim...? It was wrong," he said softly. "_I_ was wrong. And as for the throne? I am not ready. I know it. I need to know more of... of life, of the realms and the people, of the Universe itself. I must learn more so that I do not repeat the same mistakes made in the past."

Loki raised a brow as he looked Thor over, his head tilting to the side. It was... strange. Thor was talking with passion in his voice, the same passion that had been present during their childhood. Only now it was... Loki schooled his expression when Thor turned back to him.

"Loki, I... whatever Odin did in the past... _his_ actions are not our own," Thor said softly. "His actions were terrible, I will not deny it, but that does not excuse my actions. Nor the actions you took. You cannot simply excuse yourself by saying that the deeds of others were worse than your own. Our deeds belong only to us. I beg of you to hear me. To believe me. This dream of yours to prove your worth to us is not needed."

Loki's expression twisted once more to one of sneering disgust.

"I am not trying to prove _anything _to you!" he snarled.

"Then, to whom are you trying to prove yourself to?" Thor asked earnestly. "_What_ are you trying to prove by acting so proudly and insisting that you must walk this path alone?"

Loki's eyes widened at that, and his hands closed into fists. He hated it. Oh, how he hated that Thor had actually caught on to him. Hated that he had no answer to give.

"I... I spoke with Odin," Thor said softly after a few moments. "He told me that the one who set the terms of what it means to be 'worthy' of your power was you. The magic of the spell is determined by the one whom the spell is cast upon. Not the caster. You need only prove yourself worthy, to _yourself_. No one else."

Loki scowled in annoyance at Thor's words.

"That... sounds absolutely idiotic," he said with a scoff. "Besides, I already know that I am a greater being than you."

"Really?" Thor asked with a raised brow. "If you truly knew that, believed that, then I do not think you would be stuck here."

Thor let out a sigh and pushed his own rain-soaked hair back out of his face before speaking anew.

"Loki, please believe me when I say that I am only trying to _help_ you," he said. "You need not prove yourself to me, to Frigga, or even to Odin. You need only prove to yourself that you are worthy."

"Yes, because that makes perfect sense!" Loki said, his voice a sour, sarcastic lilt.

Thor smiled, actually managing to look amused by their discussion. Loki _hated _him for it.

"Loki, I hope that you will take this opportunity to learn, much as I am trying to learn when I was banished here," he said, shaking his head and sending droplets of water flying. "I truly do have hope."

"Unlike you, I spent my life, over a thousand years, studying the universe," Loki said after another long silence. "What makes you think that there is anything this planet can teach me?

Thor smiled and then burst into soft laughter.

"You might be surprised," he said, before winking at Loki, "my dear Brother."

"WE ARE NOT-" Loki began to roar only for Thor to shake his head and hold up a hand.

"Loki, whether you like it or not, all the memories we have, all our time spent growing up together, getting on each other's nerves, going into battle together, fighting as one... All of that happened. It was very, very real," Thor said solemnly as he lowered his hand. "That, _all of it_, is what makes us Brother's, in arms if not in blood. That won't change. Loki... You have said that you wanted to be my equal. And yet... I always thought that you were much smarter than I ever could be."

Loki's eyes widened as Thor spoke. He thought... Loki was smarter than he was? Loki felt more than a little taken aback by the admission.

"I was jealous too," Thor continued, holding up his fingers in a pinching motion. "Just a little bit. I mean, think about it. You have always been Mother's favorite. Of course, you were. You have her Gift with magic. Something I never had."

"Don't be stupid," Loki snapped uncomfortably. "How can I have her Gift when I am not even her son?"

"Well, first of all, I would argue that you _are_ her son. Secondly, even though you don't share blood, you... you... Yeah, I don't know how," Thor admitted as he crossed his arms, grinning. "You do, though. Heh, I think... yeah, I guess I always tried to show off so much so you wouldn't steal all the flory."

"Don't be daft!" Loki shouted and threw up his hands. "Everyone adores you! They always have! _Everyone _had words of praise for the Almighty Thor! It was sickening in all honesty."

"It did not help matters one bit when I allowed it all to go to my head," Thor said, rubbing at the back of his neck. "It was good that you were there for me. You were the one who kept me grounded. Otherwise... I do not want to think of what kind of person I would be right now had you not been with me. I... would likely be a horrible person, I am quite sure of it."

"I... You... _Stop praising me_!" Loki demanded roughly. Thor let out a chuckle of amusement, which caused Loki's brow to twitch.

"I am merely saying that which I _should_ have said a long time ago," Thor said with a grin, his eyes sparkling with amusement and mischief. His expression turned sad a moment later. "Loki, I mean what I say. I really do. I _adored_ you. I still do. You are clever, brilliant, cunning, and witty... I acted so foolishly because I did not want that brilliance to overshadow me. Despite that jealousy, I loved you. I love you still. You are my Brother, and you always will be."

Loki frowned in annoyance and let out a weak huff. There was a light in Thor's eyes, hidden behind his exhaustion. He gave Loki a teasing wink before turning to walk inside. Loki was left behind, scowling and hating that Thor had once more managed to get the last word in.

* * *

_Edited by Arei-The Peridot Dragon_


	35. Sokovia

Sokovia…

After months of searching, it was revealed to be the last bastion of Hydra. Their final bunker and ultimate base of operations had been cleverly hidden within the war-torn country.

The base was highly guarded against all fronts. They had tanks, a minor army of well-trained soldiers, and god knew what hidden within the depths of the structure.

Given the sheer number against them, the group had decided to wait for Thor before starting the operation to take down the base. They wished to have the full team together, just in case.

The Avengers were on the ground and ready to make their move. Loki and Pepper had remained back in New York, observing the team via several monitors. Something that had become standard routine for the pair over the past several months.

Pepper, in particular, seemed to be very happy in having an active role when it came to Avengers' business, even if it was a support/tactical role. Loki had to admit, he enjoyed the arrangement as well. For more than one reason.

Given that he _still _wasn't allowed to harm the humans, even in self-defense, a support role was for the best. If he had been on the ground with the rest of the team, he would likely be required to cause _someone _harm. The current set up worked out in everyone's best interests.

"There is a group of heat signatures seventy-three meters west, to the right," Loki said, finger pressed against his ear-piece to trigger the mic. "Looks like a group of patrolling soldiers."

"Thanks, Robert," Rogers said with a nod that made his head-cam bounce. He signaled to the others, and they headed around the group to avoid them.

"Right, the area you're entering has more densely packed flora," Loki said warningly. "Keep aware of your surroundings. You want to maintain the element of surprise in areas like this."

"Oh, no," Pepper breathed from her spot next to his own, "The soldiers have stopped. They... Their turning and heading your way, guys!"

Loki's eyes flickered over to the screen that Pepper was monitoring.

"She's right," he said grimly. "You must have triggered an alarm. Ready yourselves. They'll be on you in roughly three to four minutes, given their current pace."

"Well then," Clint said with a sigh as he readied his bow. "There goes that element of surprise you were talking about."

"Stay sharp!" Steve ordered in a stern but soft voice. "Stay together and watch each other's backs!"

"Be safe!" Pepper said worriedly.

A little sooner than expected, the battle erupted. Loki and Pepper intently monitored their respective screens to keep track of the chaos that had erupted. Thankfully, the data they were getting was from not only the others' cameras, but Tony's visuals, suit-scanners, _and_ an overhead radar.

"Oh boy," Loki said with a wince. "You're going to have more company. Coming in from North-East."

"More soldiers?" Tony asked as he zipped to the side to avoid a trail of gunfire.

"No. Worse," Loki drawled. "Tanks."

Silence met him for an instant before Tony blew a gasket.

"TANKS?! Shit!" Tony snapped as he flew up to run interference. "There's no need to be so damned casual about TANKS, ROB!"

Loki smirked at the man of irons words as he picked up his mug. Pepper shot him a bemused look as he took a sip of his coffee, and he raised his mug up to her a moment later, his grin widening. She shook her head, smiled, and went back to monitoring the team. Loki turned back to the spectacle playing out for them.

And Sokovia was indeed a massive spectacle. Steve was driving through the area on his motorcycle, both using it as a distraction to draw their enemies fire and using it to knock people over. The Hulk was running to and fro, grabbing and slamming soldiers into the ground. A sight that made Loki wince every so often in something that almost resembled sympathy. Clint was running and leaping about like an agile fox, arrows firing non-stop. Thor was throwing his hammer about to his heart's content, laughing and bantering with others. Something that was an odd contrast when one saw that he had a rather serious look on his face. Tony was flying around above the area, providing covering fire and a shiny distraction for the tanks. And, last but not least, Natasha was running about just as skillfully as Clint, guns drawn and firing, pausing only to find cover when she needed to reload and sometimes not even then!

"I really hope that this is worth all the trouble," Natasha said with a sigh as she slotted another magazine into place.

"Considering the amount of security around this area?" Clint pipped up with a huff, "pretty sure they are hiding _something_ big. If not the staff, then something else. It'll be worth it."

"Natasha. Clint," Steve barked over the comm. "I need you two to stick with Hulk and head South. Thor and I will go North. We need to distract them and spread them out. Tony..."

"Already on it, Cap," Tony replied with a practically audible smirk. "I'm going for the big boy prize. Let's do this and get the fuck outta here, yeah?"

"Tony, Language," Steve said reflexively even as he mowed down three soldiers with his motorcycle. Before promptly launching said vehicle off a small incline, twisting in mid-air, and tossing the bike into a crowd of soldiers.

"I... _excuse me_, but did you just say _'language'_?" Tony asked voice tinged with humor. "Seriously?"

"I... did," Steve said with a groan. "Could we all just ignore that?"

"Yeah, how about 'no'?" Tony replied with a bark of laughter.

"Tony," Loki said, cutting into the conversation. "Might I suggest a little less talking and a little more disabling of your target? And Captain, really? I thought better of you than being a... what do they call it? A _language cop_?"

"Oh man," Steve said with a loud groan. "This isn't going to go away any time soon, is it?"

"Nope!" Both Loki and Tony replied, laughter echoing in their voices.

"Nat, Clint, Hulk?" Pepper said, speaking into her own mic. "How are you three holding up?"

"Oh, good. We're doing _just_ fine," Clint said sarcastically. "It's just, you know, that we're fighting against _tanks_. In a _forest_. With trees falling around us as the tanks _plow into 'em_. It's just another Tuesday for us, so no big deal."

"But it's not-" Pepper started, only for Hulk's shout to sound loud enough to be heard through _everyone's _mic's.

"HULK IS STRONGEST THERE IS!" His roar filled the air, and, well, the big guy sounded pretty darn happy with himself. "HULK _SMASH_!"

Loki and Pepper both blinked bemusedly at the screen as the Hulk sent a tank flying who knows where. Loki shrugged a moment later.

"Well," he said simply. "Do have fun then, big guy."

While the number of soldiers and tanks could be considered an overwhelming force, the Avengers looked to be unstoppable. They were claiming ground left and right. Loki could not deny that good teamwork was an essential part of their success. A single Avenger out on their own was a mighty foe, but the teams' concerted efforts was what allowed them to gain and keep the upper hand despite their small numbers. Honestly, it was... quite the impressive sight.

A weird energy reading abruptly lashed out, thin and fast, almost like a zip-line being launched. Loki blinked in surprise.

_What the...? _he thought as Pepper yelped beside him.

"Clint!" she shouted into her mic. "What happened?! Are you alright?!"

"I... I don't know," Clint said with a pained hiss as he ducked behind cover. "_Something_ hit me."

"This looks bad," Natasha said worriedly as she ducked down next to him to check his injury. "Clint, you're bleeding fairly quickly."

"Just... son-of-a-!" Clint hissed as Natasha started to treat the injury. "What in the _hell_ hit me?!"

Loki's eyes flickered over the screen, fingers typing away rapidly as he tried to sort through the data. He frowned in disbelief.

"Something... that was moving..." he stopped briefly, clearing his throat. "That hit you at nearly two-thousand kilometers an hour."

Natasha and Clint shared a brief look before she continued to field-dress his wound. Clint put a hand to his ear.

"Erm, Robert, I don't think I heard you right?" Clint said with a weak laugh. "Two-_thousand_? That doesn't sound right at all."

"You're telling me," Loki said with a slight raising of his voice. "Just for reference, you break the sound barrier itself at roughly eleven to twelve thousand kilometers per hour. Whatever this thing is, it is moving faster than _sound itself_!"

Clint froze, both to avoid jostling Natasha and out of shock. He let out a weak sigh a moment later.

"You... you got any _good_ news for us, Robert?" he asked weakly.

"I... well," Loki looked over his screen again and sighed. "At least it is not moving faster than _light_?"

"Gee, man, thanks," Clint said with a snort. "You've got _amazing_ bed-side skills, ya know that?"

The energy reading before was heading back their way, and Loki said as much.

"Stay close to Hulk," Loki ordered, trying to pull more from the sensors.

"You really think that is going to help?" Natasha asked worriedly even as she pulled Clint to his feet and started toward the big green guy.

"Sure. An object traveling at break-neck speed meets an unmovable wall," Loki said, painting a mental picture for the group. "What do you think is going to happen? Hulk?"

"Hulk understand," Hulk said with a wide grin. "Hulk is strongest!"

"That you are my friend, that you are," Loki said with a chuckle. "Protect them well."

"Tony's managed to get inside," Pepper said abruptly. "Tony, how?!"

"Eh, easy," Tony said with a verbal shrug in his voice. "I found a not-as-secret-as-they-thought entrance and snuck inside. I mean, a secret underground lair has _got_ to have 'secret' entrances, am I right? Of course, I am! I'm- holy shit."

"What is it?" Loki asked.

"Well..." Tony said with a breathless laugh. "It's certainly what I would call a jackpot!"

The visuals hit Loki's screen, not even a second later. Tony had raised his hand, allowing the bracelet and scanner around his wrist to do its work. Jarvis, too, was sharing what information he was picking up from both that and Tony's suit.

What lay before them was indeed a 'jackpot.' Chitauri armor, bodies, weapons, and more were strewn about the massive room with a kind of chaotic order. Many of the bodies lay cut open and uncovered upon operating tables, the examination likely interrupted due to their attack. They could even see the form of one of their war whales on the far side of the room. Spoils claimed from the battle four years ago. It reminded Loki of what Adrian Toomes had been doing, but... somehow, it seemed far more sinister in nature.

Adrian Toomes had at least just kept to taking the _technology_ apart and building from there.

Hydra though? They had been taking the aliens themselves apart, bit by bit. He... was _sincerely _glad that he had not elected to try to infiltrate Hydra on his own. Had this group figured out that he wasn't from Earth, he would likely be on a table himself with his heart and liver in a jar somewhere else.

Or his brain.

He eyed the brain that had been cut in half and placed in a jar, laying oh so casually on a desk to Tony's left. A shudder ran through him.

Barbaric...

"That's... Oh god, that is all so... _creepy_," Pepper said, looking a bit green herself.

"You're telling me," Tony said, letting out a noise of disgust. "Seriously? A brain in a jar? What are these guys, a walking mess of evil villain cliches?"

"Focus Tony, the goal is to find the staff first," Loki said firmly, trying to ignore the gory sights on the screen.

"Yeah, sure," Tony shook his head and pressed onwards. "Gives you the chills, though, doesn't it Rob?"

"It... is hard to disagree with that assessment," Loki admitted with a grimace. He was pretty sure that last jar Tony had was filled with... Loki shook his head, discreetly crossed his legs and turned his focus back to the other screens. "The quicker you find the staff, the quicker you can get out of there!"

"Wow, nice work, man," Tony said sarcastically as he continued forward. "That was the greatest motivational speech I've ever heard. Props, my dude."

While Loki kept an eye on Tony's progress, Pepper had turned her attention back to the events outside the underground complex. Specifically on the spot where the Hulk, Clint, and Natasha were huddled together trying to deal with... _whatever_ it was that was moving at such high speeds. Loki glanced over at her screen, only to have his attention drawn back to Tony as he let out a small whoop.

"Jackpot!" Tony said smugly as he held up the staff. Loki let out a sigh of relief.

"You got it. Thank-" Loki sucked in a shocked breath. "Tony!"

"What? I said I got it," Tony said with a small scoff.

"Tony, you id-_there's something behind you_!" Loki shouted as he stood up, hands slapping against the table on either side of his keyboard.

Silence met Loki's concerned shout. Loki desperately looked over the suits visuals and scanners, hoping to find some clue as to what was going on. Sadly, all he got back was a dark room that was barely lit up by the staff's blue glow.

"Tony?! _Tony_!" Loki shouted. His shouts drew Pepper's gaze, her eyes flashing with worry. "Tony, can you hear me? Answer me, Tony!"

"What's wrong?" Pepper asked, worry filling her voice.

"Shit," Loki cursed angrily as he started tapping at his screens and keyboard. "_Someone _is in the room with him, and they are-"

His eyes flew up briefly to the monitor still tracking their oddly fast anomaly. Eyes widening, he let out another curse.

"Tony! You need to snap out of it _now_!" Loki yelled. "That speed-anomaly is heading your way!"

"Oh god, Tony!" Pepper shouted. "Tony! Snap out of it, please!"

"Thor," Loki called through the headset. "I need you to get to Tony. NOW!"

"How do I-?" Thor started to ask, only to have Loki snarl in his ear.

"Go through the Norns be damned wall if you have to _Thundergod!_" Loki snapped angrily. "You're good at that!"

"What's going on?" Steve asked as he finally got room to breathe. "What's happened?"

Loki struggled with what to say. He _knew_ magic like he knew his _soul_. He knew the signs to look for. But he knew that what he was about to say would sound strange and confusing to anyone _other _than Thor. Still... he had no choice.

"I am afraid that there is a person using sorcery, or at least something similar to sorcery, in the room with Tony right now," he said through gritted teeth. "Said person has done something to Tony. His heartbeat is erratic, and he is not responding to Pepper or me. He-Dammit! The speed anomaly is in the room!"

Pepper was looking over the scans.

"There was a small gamma burst when Tony went silent," Pepper offered hesitantly, worriedly. "It looks like it hit Tony in the head..."

"Pep...? Eh? S'goin' on?" Tony asked suddenly, his voice groggy as if he was drunk.

"Tony?!" most of the group shouted in concern and wary relief.

"Tony!" Loki shouted as well. "Behind you!"

And yet, before Tony could turn around, the readings of both anomalies seemed to converge and disappear. It was as if a person had grabbed up the sorcerous energy and disappeared. Tony let out a noise of confusion as he turned around.

"Um, Rob?" Tony started, his voice clear now. "Dunno how to tell you this, buddy, but no one is there."

_Is our anomaly one of those gifted humans?_ Loki thought to himself as he sat down with a groan.

"Don't worry about it right now, Tony," Loki said. "You can have a look at the recordings and readings yourself when you get back to the jet. I... am not going to discuss this right now. You've got the staff. Let's just get this over with, yes?"

"Ya know? Couldn't agree more with ya bud," Tony said with his own sigh.

"Thor, you can slow down," Loki said when he notices the other man's signature still heading Tony's way. Thor stayed quiet but slowed.

"Everyone," Steve called out over the mic. "I need a status check."

"Clint needs medical attention stat," Natasha said. "Hulk and I are good and have Clint stable for the moment."

"And yea, I got the damn staff," Tony said with a hiss. "Let's blow this joint. This place is giving me the heebee jeebees. Did any of you know what the inside of a Chitauri looks like? I sure as hell didn't until coming down here! And let me tell you something, that shit is _nasty_!"

"Remember to be careful with the staff Tony," Loki said firmly. "Do not let it touch your skin. Do not take off your suit. Just put it in its' container and go."

"Yeah yeah, I got it," Tony muttered. "Not like you haven't told me this a million times before now. Hell, you were still goin' over it when we got in the jet! Also, a person who can use sorcery? Seriously? This is not a good time for your jokes, man!"

"Tony?" Loki said as he rubbed his face. At Tony's gruff 'eh,' Loki snapped out a blunt, "Shut up."

"Really, Tony?" Pepper said, amusement filling her voice. "You fought a Norse god known for his magic. Not only that, but another Norse god is also on your team and can control the weather. Be nice. There really was something in the room with you. We need to check on your head. Seriously, Tony, that was scary. Don't frighten me like that."

Tony remained quiet for a few, the only sound from him his breathing and footsteps as he left the building.

"Tony?" Pepper asked.

"Ahem, yeah... I... I'll see you soon," Tony said. He sounded a little winded. "Gonna take a small breather. See ya."

His mic went dead.

Loki and Pepper looked at each other.

"What do you think that was?" Pepper asked.

"I don't know," Loki admitted with a frown. "Whatever it was... Let's just hope it won't bother us further. They escaped the battlefield and headed elsewhere. So, perhaps they weren't that interested in confrontation."

His frown deepened, and he looked down… yeah, right. That was a pathetic assumption to make. How the Hel, though, would _Earth _get access to that kind of power? No Human could safely move at those speeds. Not unless...

His head jerked up. Human experimentation. The very thing Steve was worried about when it came to the staff. All one needed to do was to gather together any Gifted Humans and then... run tests. Consensual or otherwise.

They…

Humans could actually do it!

Well... _shit._

* * *

This chapter has been edited by Arei-The Peridot Dragon


	36. Before the storm

It was the quiet after the storm…

Or... wait. Wasn't it supposed to be the other way around?

Tony wasn't sure what to call it. He only knew that things were way too quiet as their jet left the battlefield behind. No one was talking. Usually, they were a mess of chit-chat and conversation as they tried to talk over each other in their excitement of a job well done. Now, though?

It was a somber quiet that filled the jet today.

Clint was laid out on his back. Despite the field dressing, the wound on his side looked exceptionally nasty. Natasha was at his side, hovering like a mother hen and making sure he stayed awake. Thor seemed to be lost in thought and Bruce? Bruce was sitting still, eyes closed with his head resting against the wall. A headset lay over his ears, soft music playing to help calm his and the Hulk's nerves after a long, drawn-out fight.

They had all gotten more used to the Hulk over the past few years and had figured out various ways to help both him and Bruce. Still, it wouldn't be good for Bruce to transform with them so high in the air. Hulk's weight alone would cause the jet issues.

As such, Tony was alone in his own head. Not a good place to be some days. Rob's words were still ringing inside of his head, 'Tony, you id-_there's something behind you_!' The other man had sounded legitimately frightened and concerned for Tony's well-being. Something that was so very unlike Robert's usual uncaring attitude.

Even during their more intense battles, Rob was usually so nonchalant. Hell, that was probably a part of what made him such an excellent observer and analyst. He would give his opinion on things the way he saw them, without bothering to waste time trying to sugar-coat the situation. He didn't get distracted by emotions or sentimentalities, either. Natasha had once told the team that he showed behaviors typical of a functional sociopath. Tony had voiced his surprise, only to get called out on his own attitude. He, too, showed signs of a functional sociopath... or rather, he showed signs of being an adrenaline-junkie, half-drunk, _semi_-functional sociopath.

_Thanks for that, Nat_, Tony thought to himself.

Still, back to _Robert's_ words. The way he had said them, _shouted _them. It was enough to send yet another cold shiver down Tony's spine. What didn't help matters was what he had seen after that shout. He could only call it a Vision. Pepper, Rhodey, all of the Avenger's... everyone. Everyone he knew and cared about lying dead at his feet. Their eyes were the worst of it, staring blindly up into a starry sky.

But Tony could see... he could see it all.

An army made of a countless number of ships. An alien army hell-bent on targeting the Earth. It was an Earth that relied on him to protect it, yet it lay defenseless before such a numerous, insurmountable foe. There was nothing that could protect the billions of lives that needed... him...

As he turned to look behind him, desperate to figure out a way to protect his world, all he saw was mile after mile of corpses.

They were all dead.

_All of them!_

Tony closed his eyes and shook his head, forcing the memory, the vision, from his mind. He took a few, careful breaths and tried to calm his racing heart. It wasn't real. It wasn't. Everyone was here, and _they were fine_. Once the panic subsided, Tony dared to look up and prove with his own eyes that everyone was alive and well.

He needed to keep it that way.

Nodding firmly to himself, he stood up and moved over to Bruce's side. He plopped down carelessly in front of Bruce and tapped the other man on the knee to get his attention.

"Yo, Bruce," Tony said softly. "Got a sec, man?"

Bruce slowly opened his eyes and removed the headset after a moment. He raised a brow at Tony, having not heard the other man's words.

"How are you holding up?" Tony asked with a gentle smile.

"I'm... doing well," Bruce said, though his voice sounded more than a little shaky. "You?"

"Yeah, don't worry. I'm good," Tony said with a wave of his hands. "I guess that whole thing went pretty well, yeah? I mean, we got what we came for, right?"

"Yeah, we did," Bruce answered with a small nod.

Tony opened his mouth before pausing and looking down for a moment. He shook his head and looked back up to meet Bruce's curious eyes.

"Erhm, look, Bruce," Tony hesitated again before forcing himself to talk. "So, I was thinking... about the staff? It has a lot of potential, you know? A lot of power-"

"Tony, _no_," Bruce said, cutting Tony off firmly. "We talked about this before. If we are going to do anything with the staff, use it, _or _hide it, we will decide as a group."

"But... Bruce, I..." Tony ran his fingers through his hair, mussing up the strands. "What if... what if that army comes back, man? You know as well as I do that we aren't alone in the universe. We never were! There are so many things out there, not just the Chitauri. What if there's more? What if others come?"

"Isn't that what the Avengers Initiative was designed for?" Bruce asked in a kindly tone. "Isn't that what we are here for?"

"Yeah, but... Bruce, seriously man, what if the Avengers aren't enough?" Tony asked in a soft tone.

Bruce fell silent. As much as they both believed in their team, they both knew the truth. Sometimes you could do your best, your _absolute best_... and still fail.

"We'll be careful," Tony said gently. "The staff... it's just an advanced form of technology, right? We're scientists, we can handle tech. It would go against our nature not to at least study the thing."

"Robert would never agree to that," Bruce said softly. "You know how he feels on the subject. He believes it should be locked away, _hidden_."

"That... that's why we don't tell him," Tony said softly. "Or Cap, or the others. We study it, figure out what it does and how it works, and _then _hide it away if we need to. They'll have nothing to worry about."

"Tony, no!" Bruce said in a soft but urgent voice. "That's insane. Please don't talk like that. We're a _team_. We make decisions like this _together_, not go behind each other's backs! You can make a unilateral decision like that and sound sane!"

The images from before flashed through Tony's mind, and he rubbed at his forehead in frustration. Everyone dead. _Billions_ of bodies...

No.

"Bruce, seriously, what if... what if the Hulk lost control again?" he asked softly. "You know as well as I do that there is nothing on Earth that can match his strength. What if there is something about the staff that will help us calm the Big Guy down without anyone getting hurt? Shouldn't we take the chance?"

His words made Bruce stiffen. Tony had hit his desired mark, but... he felt horrible about it. Absolutely awful. To exploit his best friend's worst fears like this was... Well, Tony didn't know exactly what it was, but he knew damn sure that it wasn't what a good friend would do.

Still, the image of that great army wouldn't leave his mind. He couldn't make it disappear.

"I need to think," Bruce said with a heavy sigh, pulling Tony's attention back to the _now_. "I... make sure there is nothing that would let the Hulk out, yeah? Not right now with how I feel. I'm... exhausted right now."

"Okay, yeah... you take five, Bruce," Tony said, feeling a twinge of guilt as Bruce rubbed at his head. He patted the other man's shoulder lightly. "Just please, think about what I said. To be honest, I don't want to mess with the staff either, but... Earth is defenseless against an army like what I saw, man. That's why I want to... it's the only reason. There is a threat out there, I saw it when I passed through that wormhole. The army we fought? The numbers that came through? It was just a tiny, itty-bitty _fraction _of what I saw! Loki... he was just a... a... a low ranking _captain_. He wasn't the General callin' the shots. Bruce... seriously man, they're coming. They're going to come here and-and-and...!"

"Whoa! Hey!" Bruce's hands falling on his shoulders made Tony jerk and look up at the other man with wide, fearful eyes. "Easy, Tony! You're having a panic attack! Take a deep breath for me, count to ten, and then let it out."

Tony did as he was told, sucking in air harshly before letting it out after a mental count of ten. Bruce nodded his head and guided Tony through the small breathing exercise to calm him down. Natasha started to come over, but Bruce waved her away with an 'I got this.' Once Tony had calmed, Bruce patted his shoulder and let out a sigh as he leaned back.

"Okay, I can see this is important to you. Let me have some time to think, okay?" Bruce asked. Tony nodded his head, and Bruce nodded back. "Good. For now, please just try to relax and remember to breathe, okay? You did well today, we all did. We're fine. Okay?"

"For now," Tony said with a weak nod toward where Clint and Natasha sat. "And even if we won, Clint got hurt pretty bad this time. What if-"

"_Tony_," Bruce said the other man's name firmly, and he fell silent. "Please, right now, I need some sleep. Okay? Just... let's table this for now. We have time. Okay?"

"Okay," Tony said with a slightly too rapid nod of his head. "Yeah, sorry, man. You get some rest."

Bruce nodded and closed his eyes as Tony walked away. He frowned and glanced at the ceiling of the jet before closing his eyes once more. He let out a soft sigh, doubting that he would get any rest right now.

* * *

As the jet came in for a landing back in New York, two things were of top priority. The first was getting the staff safely ensconced within the building. That task was made easier thanks to the case they'd built for it. Shielded as it was, it wouldn't affect anyone's mind with its powers just by being in the same room with people.

The other, equally high priority was getting Clint to a hospital. Given the injury to their teammate, it was understandable that there was no celebration that evening. They wouldn't be celebrating until Clint was released from the hospital and cleared for activities.

As such, Thor was left wandering the building. He decided to visit Loki. He found Loki in his room, looking gloomy and upset. The dark shadows of the corner he'd chosen to sit in only made his countenance look even more dismal. He had removed his glasses, glasses that Thor knew the other male didn't need and set them aside. His green eyes looked puzzled, and Thor recognized the look on his brother's face. Loki was lost in thought, mentally battling with a difficult conundrum.

The waistcoat he usually wore to complement his human appearance was hanging loosely over the beige shirt he'd chosen to wear that day. Thor hid a smile. Loki really had been consistent in his avoidance of wearing a combination of black and green clothing since arriving on Earth. He even avoided anything in gold—a sharp contrast to his favored colors when he'd been home on Asgard.

"I've put the cameras and microphones in the room on loop," Loki said without looking Thor's way. "You can speak freely."

Thor looked him over for a moment longer before nodding his head.

"You seem to be quite troubled," he said softly, his voice showing his concern. Loki frowned at his words.

"That damned staff is nearby," he said with a huff. "Furthermore, it seems as if the humans who had it previously have already misused its' power for their gain. The consequences of which may prove to be severe."

"The staff... it... frightens you?" Thor asked carefully. If Loki was fearful of the thing, then... that was bad.

Loki closed his eyes at Thor's words. His hands closed into fists, perhaps without him noticing, and the skin rapidly paled as blood flow was cut off. Thor frowned in concern and took a step forward.

"Loki..." Thor paused and then pressed on. "Where did you get the staff?"

"It was... a gift," Loki said, finally admitted _something_. Thor blinked, surprised and glad that Loki was finally answering him. "No... no, not a gift. I was supposed to give it back once I was finished with it. It was only lent to me."

"Who?" Thor asked desperately. "Who lent it to you, Loki?"

Loki remained silent, his eyes closed and fists still clenched so tight.

"Loki, please," Thor pleaded softly. "This person you speak of may try to come to Earth to reclaim it!"

"Oh, he will," Loki said finally, letting out a cold scoff of breath. His hands were shaking. "Of that, there is no doubt."

"Then... you would put Earth in danger by remaining quiet?" Thor asked softly.

Again Loki fell silent. Thor shook his head and took another step towards his estranged brother.

"Loki, _please_," Thor said softly, pleadingly. "I will not be mad with you. I will not punish you. I swear it. Just tell me what you know. Your pride has kept you silent this long. Isn't it enough? Please?"

Loki shook his head and stood up. He took several steps away from Thor and stopped with his back to the blonde. He shook his head again.

"We have other things to worry about right now, Thor," he said. "Those two entities? The speed and sorcerous anomalies? They are of more immediate concern. Are they ally or foe? If they are the latter, is there a way to make them into the former? If not, then how do we proceed in neutralizing them?"

Thor fell silent at his words and then frowned.

"You believe the anomalies were individuals?" he asked thoughtfully. "There are genuinely people with such power here on Earth? I knew that there were some with exceptional gifts, given the battles we have faced together and apart, but even I could not see the one who moved with such speeds."

"Yes, I am certain of it," Loki said with a nod of his head. "The power that they have is... immense. And yet I believe that they only hold such power due to being augmented by the staff. How strong then, does that make the staff itself?"

Thor had no answer for his brother. Loki turned to face Thor, his expression deadly serious.

"That _thing_ is not to be trifled with," he said firmly.

Thor remained silent as he looked his brother over. It was not usual to see Loki so scared, not even in his mortal form. In fact, it was a concerning thing to see. Thor closed his eyes after a moment and let out a sigh. Perhaps...

"Loki, I wish to propose a deal," he said. Loki raised a brow.

"Oh? Well now, this sounds interesting," he said with a faint chuckle as he crossed his arms. "And rather unlike you."

"Indeed, but it is like _you_," Thor pointed out with a faint smile. "So, I do hope you will agree then. I do something for you, and you do something for me, yes?"

"Oh? That is what you want to propose?" Loki asked with a huff. "What what is it that you will do for me, hm? I mean, out of all the things you wouldn't have done anyway out of _kindness_."

"I can hide the staff for you," Thor said firmly. "I can hide it where the Avengers cannot find it. You may even be the one to decide where it will be concealed, either on Earth or in the far reaches of space. It will be your choice. Only you and I, no others, shall know where it has been placed. In return, I ask you to tell me who loaned it to you in the first place, whose army you were controlling. Well?"

Loki tilted his head as he looked Thor over, their eyes meeting once more. Thor had asked this question of Loki each and every time they had a chance to meet in private. And every single time, Loki had held his tongue. In truth, Thor wasn't expecting that to change even with his offer. Still, he had to try.

To his utter astonishment... Loki nodded.

Thor blinked in shock. He hadn't imagined that, had he? Loki had just nodded his head, yes? Was Loki messing with him? Could he but dare to hope...?

"Alright, Thor," Loki said quietly. "You have yourself a deal."

Thor gaped at him in shock, struck dumb for a moment before he grinned widely. By the Norns, he had not mistaken nor imagined what he had seen!

"You..." Thor laughed a booming, joyful laugh. "You agree? You'll tell me?!"

"Yes! Now quiet down, you Oaf!" Loki snapped angrily. "You need not fill my ears with that obnoxious laughter of yours! I will tell you, but only _after _we have dealt with both the staff and those mutants!"

Thor curbed his jow and bit at his lower lip thoughtfully. The addendum to there agreement wasn't an onerous one. If the two were a threat, then he would have been on hand to help regardless. He nodded his head in agreement.

"Very well, Loki. We have an accord," he said before grinning. "The staff is safe for the moment, yes? Locked away somewhere in the tower?"

"Correct," Loki said with a sigh. "The Avengers wish to discuss what to do with the staff as a group, so it should be safe for the moment. That is moot, however. After we have dealt with our two anomalies, you will take the staff and hide it far away from here. Once that is done, I will tell you everything that I know."

Thor grinned happily. He could barely believe it. Of course, there was a chance that he was being tricked, knowing his brother the way he did, but even then, he would do as asked. Thor would be the one to hide the staff, the only one who would have access to it. As such, he would have the upper hand if this turned out to be a trick. He hoped not and had a reason for that hope. Something was different about Loki. It was as if he had decided that the information just wasn't worth keeping secret any longer. Thor nodded his head once more.

"We are agreed then," Thor said. "The staff shall be placed somewhere safe. You have my word."

* * *

"Are you sure this is safe?" Bruce asked nervously.

Honestly? No. Tony wasn't sure if this was safe at all. Attempt to combine the staff with the massive number of protective suits that he'd built over the past few years. Yeah, now that he thought about it, that wasn't safe _at all_.

But...

It had to be done. Tony had to try this and see if it would work. The Earth was defenseless against the alien threat that he had seen. He needed to act. For Pepper. For the Avengers. For the Earth. With that thought in mind, he set the staff down on the table. He and Bruce carefully connected it to his computer, to his tower, and to all the electronic systems within.

If he didn't act. If he didn't do something, then who would?

He had to protect the world...

* * *

_Edited by Arei-The Peridot Dragon_


	37. Party crasher

Loud, pealing laughter echoed from Tony's lounge. The Avengers were reunited once more. It had only been a few days, but Clint was out of the hospital. Not only that, but he had also been allowed to go home if he wanted to. His injury had been less worrisome than they had feared it to be. He had needed stitches and a blood transfusion but was otherwise cleared for light duty. Just then, he was standing, grinning, and holding up his arms as if cheering.

"'Tis but a scratch!" he shouted in an amused voice, and the rest of the group laughed again at his antics. "Just another scar to add to the collection. The ladies _love_ it!"

"Agreed!" Thor said with a shout as he lifted his glass into the air. "Women enjoy the proud marks of a battle well fought! Wear it with pride, my friend."

"See, Pepper?" Tony said with a laugh, nudging his beloved girlfriend lightly with his elbow. "Scars are cool and _sexy_, merow! Feel free to admire my manly battle scars, yeah? Yeah?"

Pepper shook her head and smiled, giving Tony a small shove. Her smile dimmed a little as she ran a finger over one of his scars worriedly.

"All I am saying Tony is that you have enough scars already," she leaned over and kissed his cheek. "You don't need any more to prove your, hm, 'prowess.'"

Tony pouted at her as the rest of the group laughed. Well, all but Natasha. The other woman merely rolled her eyes and waved her hand in a small dismissive gesture when Clint tried again to show off another scar. Clearly, she wasn't all that impressed with the lingering battle wounds of the group. Tony playfully tossed a kernel of popcorn at her before turning to Bruce.

"What about you, buddy?" Tony asked with a wide grin. "I bet you've got some pretty amazing ones, yeah?"

"Nope," Bruce responded as he took a sip of his drink. "Not a single one."

"Seriously?" Tony asked incredulously.

"Accelerated healing, Tony," Bruce reminded him with a huff of laughter. "You keep forgetting that about the Hulk, but, yeah, if I get wounded and then transform into the Hulk, the wound heals over. So, while I've been hit plenty of times, I just haven't ended up with any scars."

"Wow, that's neat!" Tony said with a gasp. He shook his head and threw up his hands. "I always thought that it was just the Hulk's injuries that got healed, not yours too. That is so cool!"

"I think that it is worth noting that not all wounds leave visible scars," Loki commented from his seat as he leaned back. His tone was casual as he turned to Tony with a raised brow. "Head wounds for one. How many of those have you sustained again, Tony?"

"Hey, now, you shut your mouth!" Tony said, wagging a finger at Loki. "My head is just fine, thank you _very_ much!"

"Are you so sure of that?" Loki asked innocently. Tony let out a scoff and threw up his hands again. The rest of the group chuckled at their antics.

"You're just jealous 'cause you have no cool scars yourself, desk-jockey!" Tony proclaimed with a raised finger.

Loki raised an eyebrow at the other man but did not refute his statement. It was true, at least in part. His current body had no visible scars to show off. His true form, however? Asgardian healers were good at their jobs and would often leave no scars. But there were times that Loki had been injured while away from Asgard. Often, he would be gone long enough for the wounds to have healed over. Then there was his time while trapped in Thanos' clutches...

Loki forced himself to shake his head, forcing the thought away. He gave the others a strained smile.

"Given my current company, I imagine it is only a question of time before I will have a scar to boast about," he said as he lifted his glass to take a drink of his beer. "Now, isn't it?"

"And what is _that _supposed to mean, Rob?" Tony asked with a mock-glare.

"That you're a walking, sometimes flying, hazard Tony," Natasha pipped up with a smirk.

"True that!" Clint said with a laughing sigh as he plopped back into his seat.

"I... cannot argue that," Brue said, shooting Tony a look of dry amusement.

"Sorry, pal, I ain't touching that one," Rhodey said with a shake of his head as he leaned back in his seat.

Steve quietly took a sip of his drink and otherwise stayed quiet. The good Captain _had_ been raised to 'not say anything if you can't say something nice' after all.

"Hmmm," Thor tapped at his chin, nodded, and then took a big gulp of his beer. "I concur!"

"Hey!" Tony said, crossing his arms and sulk-glaring at the rest of the team. "Uncalled for!"

"Tony, I am sorry, but..." Pepper leaned over to gently kiss his cheek. "We have both the Hulk and a literal god of Thunder in the room, and somehow, yes, you are still the greatest hazard in the room."

"Statistically speaking, sir, I would have to agree with the others," Jarvis pipped up, causing everyone to look at the ceiling. "Cost-wise, reparation damages attributed to yourself are exorbitantly higher than any of the others."

Tony gaped up at the ceiling before turning to look at Pepper with a pout.

"Well, that's a little harsh, isn't it?" he asked, eyes wide and lips mock-trembling as if he were about to cry.

Pepper chuckled at him and gave him another gentle kiss.

"Why do I still love you again?" she asked in a teasing tone.

"Hmm," Tony lifted his fingers and started counting off. "Let's see. I'm rich, super handsome, absolutely brilliant, and I try to spoil you as much as you'll allow me to?"

Pepper let out a small laugh and shook her head as she cuddled into his side. Tony grinned and gave her a one-armed hug before turning his attention to Natasha. He smirked at her.

"Soooo, Nat," he started in a teasing tone. "You got any cool scars?"

"Sure I do," Natasha said with a smirk, "but if I showed them to you, I'd have to kill you."

Steve raised a hand to prevent Tony from trying to press Natasha further.

"I had some grenade splinters pulled out of me once. Right here," Steve pointed at his torso. "Winter of 1943. We were moving through the Russian mountains when special forces, Gestapo, spotted us. Next thing we knew, we were swarmed. It was just me and my squad, fifteen of us total, against a total of about seventy-five Nazi soldiers. Though we didn't find out how many we'd fought off until later. And, of course, they brought in _flamethrowers_ of all things."

Everyone fell quiet as Steve told the story about him fighting a group of Nazi's. About how a grenade had landed right next to him, causing him to shield his comrades with his own body. How he had continued to fight where he could despite his injury. How everyone on his team had made it out alive. Not just because of his strength, but also because of his team's stubbornness. The others convinced him to share another story the moment he was done.

A lot could be said about the man, and he certainly had several impressive stories.

Even Loki found himself listening intently as the other man spoke. He could not deny that, having grown up idolizing many a warrior, that Steve's stories of the battle-field were impressive. Unlike an Asgardians way of telling the story, Steve did not glorify the stories he shared. He stayed... humble. Something that was nice. It made the stories feel more honest. Less boisterous and gloating about a well-fought battle and more truthful.

Steve was open about his mistakes. Very few Asgardians would ever acknowledge that they had made a mistake in battle.

Tony ruined the moment by letting out a snort of amusement.

"Thanks so much, Grandpa," Tony said in a dry tone. "Us kids _really do_ _love_ hearing all about your old war stories."

As Tony took a sip of his drink, Natasha reached over to whack him upside the head, causing him to sputter and cough. She pinned him with a not-quite-playful glare, and Tony held up his hand in surrender as he tried to clean himself up. Like the others, Natasha was far more respectful of Steve's war stories whenever he shared them.

Loki chuckled softly and took another sip of his own drink. Every time they finished a mission successfully, they met up like this to share stories and bond. The mood would stay high, they would banter back and forth, there was laughter, food, and drinking. They were like a group of childhood friends who had known each other for so long that they could always have fun together. Comfortable in their friendships enough to call each other out on their foolishness.

Loki thought back on some of those parties with surprising fondness.

Others would join them on occasion, like Tony's friend Rhodey, who was here today. Or Steve's good friend, Sam, who couldn't make it. Even Maria Hills and Happy would join them on occasion if they'd helped out with that day's mission and had no additional work to deal with. Still, the core group would always consist of Tony, Steve, Bruce, Natasha, Clint, Loki, and Pepper.

And of course, Thor, whenever he was visiting the Earth.

Thor was visiting more often than usual, and Tony was not one to waste a chance to hang out with the Norse god. Even if Thor had not joined in on the battle, he was always invited to the party. And Thor _never_ said no to a party. Loki poured himself more to drink, thinking that Thor really _did_ enjoy spending time with his Midgardian friends whenever he could. The group certainly was more fun, more eclectic, than Sif and the Warriors three.

The topic suddenly changed to Mjolnir, and Loki raised a brow as Thor explained how the hammer worked.

"Whosoever holds this hammer, if he be worthy, shall possess the power of Thor," Thor said grandly as he set his hammer on the table.

Clint pipped up, repeating part of Thor's speech while twirling one of his arrows. He tossed the shaft down with a scoff.

"Dude, whatever man," Clint said with a roll of his eyes. "It's a trick."

"Don't you mean 'trap'?" Steve asked eagerly, having _finally_ seen Star Wars. The group groaned and tossed popcorn at the Captain.

Tony also let out a scoff and smoothly stood up, tugging at the hem of his shirt. Loki's eyebrows shot up. Well then, things were about to get interesting and extremely entertaining!

"So whoever lifts this gets to be king of Asgard?" Tony asked jokingly.

"Of course, someday," Thor said with a teasing smirk.

"Cool! I will be fair, but firmly cruel," Tony said in a magnanimous tone, wrapping his hands around the hammer's haft and pulling.

Nothing happened.

Loki almost snorted into his drink, lips widening into a smirk. Thor shot a look his way and winked. Tony let out a grunt and tried a second time, putting his foot upon the table to brace himself.

Again, nothing happened.

"Okay, okay, hold on now, hold on!" Tony said, disappearing for a moment before coming back with the arm of his Iron Man suit on.

Loki let out a huff of quiet laughter, hand raising to cover his mouth. Oh, yes! It was as entertaining as he had hoped! Tony was doing everything in his power to lift the hammer. Every gimmick he could think of was being pulled out of the bag—both him and Rhodey wearing the arms of their respective suits. Then Clint tried, followed up by Bruce, followed up by all four of them. They failed spectacularly and fell back into a pile on the floor. The rest of the group burst into open laughter at the mess they made. It took a few minutes of cursing and shoving before the men were back on their feet.

Loki's favorite part of the evening, though, was when _Steve_ tried his hands at lifting the hammer. The hammer actually shifted! Only about a half an inch before he failed like the rest, but still! The look on Thor's face was priceless, and Loki found himself clenching his stomach from laughing so hard even as Thor tried to pass off his unease with false bravado and laughter.

"You're not going to try, Nat?" Clint asked with a playful nudge of his shoulder against hers.

"Oh no," Natasha said, leaning against the wall and taking a gulp of her drink. "That's not a question that needs answering."

Loki let out another snicker. She was either avoiding a situation where she would humiliate herself like the others had or was implying that she was more worthy than them all and didn't need to flex her muscles to prove it. He could respect the woman either way for that response. Clever spider.

"ROB!" Tony's sudden shout made Loki jump slightly. He turned to the eager looking man with a bland expression as he spoke. "Dude! You gotta try at least once! It's about our many pride now!"

Loki let out a dismissive snort and looked at the hammer. He shook his head.

"If I could lift that thing, I would know," he said in a dry tone. "Trust me on that."

Thor turned his head to look at Loki, a puzzled look in his eyes. He shook his head a moment later and stood up. He walked over to the hammer and picked it up with ease.

"Lifting Mjolnir means that you are worthy of the powers of Thor," he said gently. "It is, however, not the end of all things. I may be worthy of holding my own power in my hands, but there is much that I find myself _not_ being worthy of. I am, for instance, in no way worthy of wielding many a sorcerous spell. I do not have the mindset, patience, nor even the proper sense of caution, to do so responsibly. Nor would I be worthy of running a company like Stark Enterprises."

Thor bowed his head to Pepper with a smile. She grinned back at him and raised her glass.

"Nor would I be able to put my name on many a creation made to aid the Earth," Thor said, bowing his head to Tony.

Tony smirked and plopped down next to Pepper, putting an arm around her shoulders and saluting Thor. Thor turned to Bruce and nodded his head.

"I... would not even begin to imagine how I might react if I found myself sharing a body with another being," Thor said in a soft voice. "I am afraid that I would not have the patience and wisdom to react without causing a disaster.

Bruce couldn't help it. He blushed and shyly looked down at the drink in his hands.

"No," Thor said with a chuckle and a small, self-deprecating smile. "What I have learned in recent years is this; There is much that I am unable to do. Much that I am not, and may never be, worthy of."

Loki turned his head and looked away from Thor after his speech. Honestly, he didn't know what to think anymore. There was something that he had started to realize over the past few years. Whether he wanted to admit it or not, Thor had changed. A lot. He had become smarter and wiser. Not to mention humble on top of it all. It was a change that suited the blonde.

It was also scary. Loki could no longer count on Thor to react the same way anymore. Thor was no longer the bumbling fool that he had been in the past. It made Loki wonder, had Thor always been this smart? If that was the case, could Loki really say that he knew Thor that well? It was confusing—a conundrum that left Loki's mind reeling.

* * *

After a while, Loki got up and walked over to the balcony to get some fresh air, drink in hand. He was surprised when Bruce joined him, holding on to his own beer. Bruce offered him a smile and leaned against the railing.

"It's a nice evening," Bruce commented softly as he looked over the city.

"Yes. It is rather pleasant, isn't it?" Loki said with an agreeing nod.

Bruce started to say something and then fell silent. He swallowed roughly and seemed to hunch in on himself a little.

"Hey, erm, look... There's something," Bruce coughed into his hand and sighed. "There is something I feel like... I should tell you."

Loki turned to look at the other man and blinked at him.

"Yes?" he asked. "What is it?"

"Well, you see, after I started to let the Hulk come out more naturally instead of letting my anger take over, I..." Bruce hesitated and then shifted his stance a bit. "I've tried a few things. Back in the beginning, whenever the Hulk came out, I was... my consciousness was, in a word, sleeping. However, I've been trying to 'stay awake' as an observer. Kind of like, me watching things from the back of his mind. So... I can talk to him now. See what's going on and all."

Loki's eyes widened at that. Well, that was interesting. He nodded his head and indicated for Bruce to continue.

"Right, so... I... got to observe a few... um... conversations," Bruce admitted with a weak smile.

Loki could feel himself go pale, and he went still. What had Bruce overhead?

"So... yeah, you... were talking to the Hulk," Brue said softly, keeping his voice gentle. "About other worlds. He was so very curious about them and you. You... showed us both so much. You were so honest about it all and..."

Loki looked down at the city beneath him, hand tightening on the railing.

"So... I've concluded that, well, you're not from Earth," Bruce said, still keeping his voice soft. Loki looked back up at him with a furrowed brow, and Bruce raised his hand. "Easy. Look, it's not like I blame you for being quiet or anything like that. I just... thought I should let you know that I was aware of it. I haven't told anyone either! Promise!"

Loki blinked at that and felt his shoulders relax. Bruce knew that he was Otherworldly, but nothing else. He didn't suspect that he was, in fact, the very god of mischief that they had fought years ago. That was... good. Loki smiled weakly at the other man.

"Thank you for that, Bruce," he said softly. "I appreciate it."

"Heh, no worries," Bruce smiled a little awkwardly back. "I didn't really believe it at first, but it makes way too much sense for you to be from another world. I guess... well, you won't be telling me why you're on Earth, are you?"

"Forgive me, but no," Loki said with a shake of his head. "It would be in no one's best interest if I explained why I am here. However, I hope I can reassure you by saying that I am not here to do anyone any harm. In fact, I am literally not allowed to cause injury to anyone. My visit here has stringent rules in place, and that is one of them."

"I see," Bruce said with a small nod and a smile. "That is a comforting thought, though you didn't have to say anything. We're lucky to have you here with us. You've done a lot to help. I'm... I'm glad that we could be friends."

Loki smirked at the other man and let out a soft laugh.

"You're starting to sound like your other half," he said pointedly.

"Well, of course, I do. The Hulk is literally my other half, after all. And I think... I think I am having an easier time coming to terms with that. Everyone here has helped so much. I never believed that we could... that we..." Bruce fell silent for a moment. He took a deep breath and looked up at the sky. "So... there are a lot of other worlds up there, yeah? Other than Thor's Asgard?"

"Yes, countless worlds," Loki said with a small smile. "Do you want to see them, Bruce?"

"I... I'm not sure," Bruce admitted with a soft sigh. "It's kind of a scary thought, but also a bit exciting, you know? I hope... that there can be a place for the Hulk here on Earth. However, if that doesn't work out, then... it's nice to think that there is somewhere out there where he and I wouldn't be feared or hunted down for being different. I... Death... it isn't even an option anymore, did you know that? I... I sometimes wonder if I am, you know, basically immortal now."

Loki was silent as Bruce spoke. He looked the other man over carefully, his eyes serious. When he spoke, his voice was soft.

"Would that really be so bad a thing?" he asked gently.

"I don't know. What would it mean? For the Hulk. For me. If a... a hundred or two hundred years pass us by and I am still here while everyone else is... is..." Bruce fell silent and looked down at the city. Pain in his eyes.

Loki didn't reply. Not yet. He was here to listen right now and, surprisingly, he was taking that duty very seriously.

"So... yeah. Heh, to think that there are other worlds out there," Bruce said, looking back up at the sky while fiddling with the sleeve of his shirt. "Worlds where... you know..."

"You need not think about it. I can assure you that it is a fact. And now you know," Loki let out a soft chuckle and shrugged his shoulders. He glanced over his shoulder to where the others were still laughing and talking. "Just look at Thor. He is over a thousand years old and is yet considered to be a young man amongst his kin. He can go hand to hand with the Hulk, yes, but he is a prime example of his own species. And that is when one takes into account that his kin pride themselves on being stronger than and Human could hope to be."

Bruce looked over at the group and then turned to look back at Loki, a question in his eyes.

"Um, are you an Asgardian too man?" Bruce asked.

"No, I am not," Loki responded with an amused shake of his head. "If I were, I would be able to lift boulders with my bare hands. Which, by the way, I cannot."

"But you know of Asgard?" Bruce asked with a raised brow.

"Yes. Most do. The world of Asgard has conquered many a realm and countless planets. Asgard and the world that I was born to have been at war for... around five-thousand years or so now. So, yes, I know of Asgard," Loki said with a dry laugh. He looked up at the sky, and Bruce joined him. He spoke after a few moments of silence. "It may sound strange to you, but there are actually several worlds out there where it is common-place to live so long, if not longer. Asgard is not considered all that strange in that regard."

"Really? Bruce asked, a dull kind of hope in his tone.

"Yes. There are the Light Elves of Vanaheim whom tend to live to be around ten-thousand Earth years before they are considered 'old,'" Loki said with a chuckle. "Then there are the Shadow People from Angmo-Asan. They might well be able to go toe-to-toe with the Hulk. And then there is..."

Loki fell silent and frowned as he looked at the star-scape above them. Bruce gently nudged his arm with his elbow.

"Robert, you okay?" he asked softly.

"Then there is Jotunheim," Loki said, his voice blanked of emotion. "That is the world I am from."

"Oh? Really? What is it like there?" Bruce asked, curiosity ringing in his voice.

"It is... a big ball of ice. Honestly, it's kind of crappy there. They don't even have coffee," Loki commented as if heavily affronted, and Bruce chuckled.

They fell into a companionable silence for several minutes, each looking up at the stars. Loki eventually let out a soft sigh. Truth for truth was due.

"Bruce," Loki started in a soft voice. "I am unable to leave the Earth at this time. However, one day I will be able to leave if I so choose to. On that day... on that day you will be free to join me if you wish. It would be nice to travel again with a companion that... that I can trust. I won't force you to come, just please consider the offer."

"It's kind of you to offer that," Bruce said with a gentle smile. "Thank you, Robert. I will consider it. Well, I, for one, can say that I am glad you came to Earth."

"You know what...? So am I," Loki said reflexively.

He blinked in surprise at himself and fell silent. He'd said the words... and honestly meant them. At least in part. It was strange. He was truly glad that he'd had a chance to meet this eclectic group of people and get to know them better.

* * *

Thor glanced outside and saw that Loki and Bruce were talking. He smiled to himself, a fond yet bitter smile. Now that he had time to think about it, Loki had never looked so relaxed back on Asgard. Not like this. His brother's laughter seemed real here. Warm even. It had been Thor's hope that living here on Earth would help Loki grow as a person. It looked as if Thor's dream was growing into fruition. And yet, the thought tugged at his heart, and he sighed.

He knew that he had to accept things the way they were. The friendship that he and Loki had shared in the past was unrecoverable. Things would never go back to the way it was before. They were both different people now. Their situations were different. Thor could only continue to hold on to the hope that, in the future, they would be able to build something new.

"Hey, Thor?" Natasha asked in a soft voice as she sat down next to him. "Are you doing okay?"

"Of course!" Thor responded with a faint smile as he turned to look at the red-head. "What makes you ask?"

"You seemed distracted, Natasha admitted with a small shrug. She looked to where Thor had been gazing and saw Bruce and Loki standing side-by-side. "You know, it's kind of funny. I still can't read Robert. Not really. He's too... strange and different for me to read properly."

"Oh," Thor blinked at her curiously. "You cannot?"

"I can't read you either," Natasha said with a smile. "I suppose that makes sense, though. I've been trained to read humans, but... you're not a human."

Thor chuckled at that and then tilted his head.

"You are truly a smart individual, Lady Romanoff," he said. He started to say more and fell silent.

"Thor?" Natasha said his name questioningly, a hint of concern in her voice.

"I just... I know that I have changed from who I was. I _wanted_ to change. I worked hard to do so. Though, this means that the people I care about, the people that I love, they are... further from me than they ever have been before now," Thor sighed and looked down at the drink in his hand. "I used to admire my father, now I find myself questioning his actions more and more. The Warriors Three, they still follow me without asking and yet... I feel distant from them. Even Lady Sif. We can all be in the same room together and yet... I feel as if I am a part of them, yes, but also yet _apart_ from them. It is as if we no longer share a common understanding anymore. My friends are slowly becoming strangers to me. And my father? The more I learn, the less I feel that I know."

Natasha was quiet as Thor spoke, her eyes gentled with an understanding light. She smiled and gently prodded his arm with her shoulder.

"And your brother?" she asked softly.

"Ah, I..." Thor blinked up at her in surprise. "I did not expect you to want to hear of him."

"Well, I know that you care about him. That was obvious from the first time we met," Natasha's smile widened and then faltered. "How is he doing?"

"He is... good. I think," Thor said, managing not to look Loki's way.

"Still in prison?" Natasha asked.

"Still in prison," Thor repeated with a nod and a weak smile.

Natasha shook her head and leaned back in her seat with a smirk.

"I bet you go to see him pretty frequently, though," she said teasingly.

"Oh, aye, I do. I mean, when time allows for it. Loki... rarely if ever seems happy to see me," Thor scratched at his stubble and winced as he tried to search for the right words. "Okay, he's never happy to see me. But... I think we've made progress. I mean, he seems to... tolerate me."

He stopped and waved his hand in a so-so gesture that made Natasha chuckle. Thor smiled back at her, but his grin faded not even a moment later. He sighed heavily and looked back at his beer.

"I miss him," he admitted to her in a soft voice. "Even when he is standing in front of me, he seems so far away. Like... like the others."

"Thor, listen to me. If you truly care about your friends, and they care about you in turn, then things will work out," Natasha said in a soft voice as she rested her hand over one of his. Thor looked up at her with hopeful eyes. "Change is... weird. I won't deny that. However, once you find a true friend..."

Here she paused to look at Clint with warm eyes. Her gaze turned to Steve and the others, even Tony, before turning back to Thor. Her grip tightened around his hand.

"It will be worth more than you can imagine," she continued in a soft voice. "They'll be there for you when it matters. Even if it feels like you are drifting apart from them, what they taught you and how they helped you will stay with you. You may just find yourself growing even closer than you were before the drift."

Thor smiled at her words and nodded. She sighed and patted his hand, leaning back and looking at the group fondly.

"To be honest, Thor, there was a time when I thought I would never have any friends," she said softly. "That I _couldn't _have friends. This is still so strange, so new to me, but... I really am the happiest I've ever been."

Thor nodded his head in understanding. From what he knew of the woman, she had been a solo spy for such a long time. He nudged her arm with his elbow.

"You deserve it, Lady Romanoff," he said firmly and sincerely. "_Friend_ Romanoff."

"It'll be okay, Thor," Natasha said with a laugh. "You may feel separated from your friends now, but that doesn't mean you cannot find one another again later on. It doesn't mean that your bonds won't grow stronger than before. Just give it time."

Tony nodded his head at her words and smiled.

"Thank you, my friend. I shall remember and treasure your words," he nodded again, more firmly. "Yes, while my friendships with those of Asgard may be in a rough patch, I have also found true friends here upon Midgard, your Earth. That is truly a blessing!"

Natasha smiled warmly back.

"The feeling is mutual, Tho-" she started, only for a weird sound to interrupt her words.

They both turned to look up at the doors where in walked... one of Tony's suits? Yes, it was one of the man's many suits; only it was smashed up. The thing was broken in multiple spots, and while it was barely walking, it was still making its' way into the room. Thor turned to look at Tony, whose astounded and shocked expression showed that he had no idea what was going on either.

"Er, hey there... Jarvis. What's going on, bud?" Tony asked in a hesitant tone. When there was no response, his voice rose a bit in pitch. "Jarvis? Buddy?"

The lights in the entire room, if not the whole floor, started to flicker wildly. It was like the power was on the fritz. The team as a whole stiffened and stood up slowly.

"Gr-greetings..." the broken suit suddenly spoke up using a voice that none of them could recognize. "Av-aven-Avengers... Ki-Kil-_killers_."

Steve blinked in confusion as he eyed the suit.

"What? Killers?" Steve spared a half glance at the others before turning his attention fully on the suit. "What does... it... mean?"

Loki and Bruce burst back into the room, the flickering of the lights had caught their attention. The sight of the machine made both men freeze. Bruce's eyes widened in shock. Loki's were narrowed in shock and a growing... _something_.

"What in the-?" Bruce started to ask before Loki cut him off.

"Tony," Loki started in a strained voice. "What did you do?"

"Why are you asking _me_?!" Tony yelped in confusion. "I don't... I don't know what this is!"

"Really? You don't... Tony?" the machine asked with a jerky tilt of its' head. A recording started to play, sounding from the mangled suit. "_I see a suit of armor around the world._"

Bruce's eyes flew wide, and he let out a choked noise. Loki shot him a brief look before turning his eyes back on the... entity... in front of them. Clearly, the other man knew something.

"What is going on?" Loki asked through grit teeth. "Bruce?!"

"U-Ultron? No, no, that can't be right. We didn't..." Bruce looked at Loki with wide, confused eyes. His voice was desperate, pleading. But Loki could tell that he didn't believe his own words. "We _didn't._"

"What did you do?" Loki snarled. "What Did You DO?!"

He reached out and grabbed Bruce by his shirt, yanking their faces close together. A wide-eyed Bruce started back at Loki. He was utterly taken aback by Loki's outburst.

"Whoa! Whoa! Look, it's okay! We... we just gotta shut it down. No worries!" Tony picked up one of his suit remotes and started clicking it to turn the suit off. Nothing happened. Tony chuckled nervously. "Um... Hey, Jarvis? Could you, um, help me out here?"

There was still no answer from the jovial AI. Everyone tensed at the lack of response.

"I am afraid... that I had to... kill him," the suit, Ultron, said. Everyone's eyes narrowed on the robot. "It was... not my first choice. He was... he was a _good_ man."

Ultron went to say something else, but sparks flew from the suit, causing it to twitch erratically for a moment. Everyone who had weapons let their hands fall slowly to rest on said weapons. Ready to move in an instant if need.

"But..." Ultron said, slowly straightening back up. "_But_... to protect the E-Earth... from the Killers... I need... I need a b-body. I will... take... _my_ body and-and-and _destroy the Avengers_!"

As Ultron roared those last words, several more of Tony suits flew through the wall and into the room with a crash. The Avengers had positioned themselves well, however, and were ready to act. Natasha and Clint had pulled their guns and immediately opened fire. Steve managed to punch out the robot-suit closest to him before grabbing onto his shield. Thor jumped over the couch, hammer twirling while Loki ducked behind the same couch Thor had abandoned.

Loki wasn't safe there long sadly. One of the suits circled around the couch, intent on taking down Loki. Loki jumped aside and, without thinking, grabbed a knife from the table. He then forced the blade into an exposed section of wiring in the suit before kicking the thing away. The robotic suit fell onto the large, glass table in the room, shattering it and remained still. Loki stared at the unmoving robot blankly for a moment.

Right... it was a robot—a suit of armor controlled by a non-living entity. Even if the rogue AI could be counted as a sapient life form, it was not a _human. _Loki had been forbidden from harming _only_ humans.

Everything else was fair game!

Loki huffed and almost smiled. He could worry about explaining his fighting prowess later. As of right now, survival took precedence. He looked around to get an idea of what he could do to help.

Tony had managed to grab Pepper and pull her behind the bar just before one of the suits opened fire on them. Pepper screamed in fright as the suit just kept firing. While the robotic suit was distracted, Steve came up from behind and bashed the things head in with his shield.

With Pepper as safe as she could be behind the bar, Tony leapt up and grabbed one of his gadgets to fight back against one of the suits floating in the air with missiles firing from it. Loki glanced to the side and almost paled. Bruce looked like he was hyperventilating. Loki weaved through the debris, back to the other man's side, and raised his hand in a calming gesture.

"Don't Hulk out!" Loki said urgently. "There's no need to lose control. The Avengers have the upper hand! Look, they're winning!"

What he said was true. The robotic suits were dropping like flies. Eventually, only that original, broken suit was left. Everyone turned to look at it with wide, wary eyes.

"I... am sorry. That was... dramatic, wasn't it? I know that y-you mean well. You want to protect the world but... how can you? How can you pro-protect it when you don't even allow the world to evolve. To grow? C-change is needed. To not allow it to change... what will protect it?" Ultron moved to pick up one of the fallen robots, shaking it like a rag doll. "These things? These... puppets?"

Ultron shifted the robot to hold its' head in its' hands. There was a high-pitched screech of metal crushing metal as Ultron crushed the head of the fallen suit. It... _he_ perhaps... let the suit fall to the ground.

"No. No," Ultron shook his head as if he were sad. "There is only o-one path to peace... to sec-security. The Avengers must face ex-extinction."

At those words, Thor seemed to lose his temper. He threw Mjolnir hard enough that it smashed into Ultron's head and went through the wall behind it. The remains of the body fell limply to the ground. For a moment, everyone stared in wide-eyed shock at the fallen form. While the others stared at the smoldering form, Loki stood up and moved toward the remains.

"What. Did. You. Do?" Loki asked, his voice low and deadly.

Tony swallowed roughly at the tone as everyone turned their attention to the two men.

"Well, I... I mean... I didn't," Tony looked back and forth between Loki and all the damaged suits. "I mean... I didn't..."

"What Did You Do?!" Loki roared, stalking over to Tony and grabbing him by the throat. "You used the staff, didn't you? Didn't you?! I Told You Not To! I _told _you that using that staff would be dangerous! _I Told You!_"

A wide-eyed Tony stared down at Loki's hand. Clearly, everyone else was just as startled by the outburst. Tony let out a startled noise as Loki hefted him into the air by his neck. Tony's hands latched onto his wrist reflexively, but he was still too startled to struggle.

"I should have known better," Loki said in a scathing tone. "I really should have. Trusting _humans_ with power like this? Did you think you were different? That you were special? That you could pull off the impossible just because you aren't _Hydra_? AS IF!"

Loki threw Tony to the side, his arm shaking either with rage or the effort to lift the other man. Tony rolled into the far wall with a grunt. Pepper let out a yelp and ran to Tony's side to make sure he was okay. She turned to Loki a moment later.

"Robert!" she yelled. Anger, worry, and fear glittered in her wide eyes.

Loki wasn't done laying into them, however. He turned to face Bruce and took a threatening step toward the other man. Triggering the Hulk was the furthest thing from his mind at that point.

"Do you have _any_ idea what it is that you've done?" he snarled at the other man.

"Robert, stop this," Natasha said, demanded, in as firm and calming a tone as she could manage.

"You asinine, _pathetic_ humans," Loki growled, reaching out and catching Bruce by the throat much as he had Tony. Heimdall's voice sounded in his head a moment later.

_Loki!_ shouted the booming voice. _You will cease this and cease this NOW!_

"Stay out of this," Loki snarled, wincing but otherwise ignoring the pain flaring in his head. A hand fell on his shoulder. The firm weight of Thor's hand a familiar pressure.

"Nothing is to be gained by this course of action," Thor said in a low, soothing voice. "What's done, is done. Perhaps we should allow them time to explain themselves."

Loki's eyes were narrowed angrily on the man in front of him. Finally, though, he let out a growl and let go of the man's throat. Bruce let out a haggard gasp and backed away warily. Silence fell once more as the group eye'd Loki warily. Tony swallowed roughly and pushed himself up so that he was braced on his elbows.

"So... um... 'us humans'?" he said in a croaking voice, offering up a weak half-smile. Loki snorted despite his ire.

"I do believe that you have other things to worry about that are more important than my origins," Loki said in a dry tone.

"Well, yeah... but..." Tony tried to say, only to stop when Loki pinned him with a dark look.

Rage still simmered in those bright green eyes, and Tony fell into an uncomfortable silence. Yet, despite the seriousness of the situation, Clint dropped into a crouch next to Tony and poked him in the shoulder. Tony looked at him with a raised brow.

"Dude, you owe me fifty bucks,"

* * *

_edited by Arei-The Peridot Dragon_


	38. End game

Things... didn't look good. They didn't look good _at all_.

Tony and Bruce had managed to create a brand new Artificial Intelligence using the Staff. Thanks to the Staff's power, that new being was a massive and nearly omnipresent intelligence that could connect itself to any electronic system. And it had escaped into the vastness space that was the internet. This meant that it was either anywhere on Earth, or at least anywhere that wasn't an isolated server, or it had managed to make its' way into every single bit of technology out there regardless of remote system setups.

"Oh, Tony," Natasha said as she looked over at the engineer with sad eyes.

"It escaped into the internet…? My god," Clint said with a groan. "That means he's likely to be everywhere. He probably already knows more about us than we know about each other. Not to mention the world's nuclear codes, military secrets. Hell, political secrets! All of it.."

Clint ran his hands through his hair and tugged at a few strands roughly. He let his hands fall to his sides a moment later.

"Shit, Tony. This is bad," Clint said in a no-nonsense tone.

"And the Staff is gone as well. Ultron took it with him," Natasha said as she closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose. "So we'll have to retrieve it… again."

Loki rubbed at his eyes, trying not to growl. Seriously? After all the trouble they went through, years of work spent tracking down and raiding Hydra facilities, and now they were even worse off than before? By the Norns, why!? And yet even still, these simpletons were his best chance of trying to regain the damnable thing. Everyone's eyes turned to Tony, and his lips twitched. Then he started to chuckle. To _laugh_. Had the man gone insane?

"You think this is funny?" Thor asked, incredulous.

"Oh yeah, very funny," Tony said as he stepped forward, looking at Thor with a sneering grin. "Funny that _you _don't understand why _we_ need this."

Loki growled in frustration and slammed his hands down on the table in front of him. The others jumped slightly and eyed him warily, but he was beyond caring at this point.

"I told you not to mess with that _thing_!" Loki said through clenched teeth.

"Oh, right, about that!" Tony stepped toward him, bracing his hands on the same table and getting almost nose to nose with Loki. "Look. Clearly, you know something about that Staff. You always knew about it, didn't you _Martian man_? Dammit, why should I listen to you at all?! You could have opened your stupid mouth sooner! Ever think of that, wise guy?!"

Loki's growl got louder. His fingers tightened around the edge of the table. Bruce stepped forward and held up his hands in a placating gesture.

"Tony, perhaps now isn't a good time to poke at him," Bruce said in a soft tone.

"Really, man? You're just going to roll over and give up?" Tony asked with a growl of his own. "Just because you met a little bit of pushback from the others?"

"Well, when you think about it, I accidentally helped to create a murder robot. So yeah, I'm willing to admit that we messed up," Bruce said.

"But we didn't mess up!" Tony shouted in frustration, hands lifting and then slamming back on the table before anyone could say anything. "It, Ultron, acted on its' own! It's not _our_ fault it, he, decided to go all murder-hobo on us! And even if it was our fault, do any of you really _know_ what is up there?! Do you have any god damned idea the danger we're all in?!"

Everyone shared worried looks—everyone but Loki, that is.

"I _saw_ it. I saw that threat, do you understand me?" Tony said, lifting his hands upwards and gesticulating wildly. "The Chitauri forces that attacked New York? HA! That was _nothing_. Do you get me? Nothing! We faced only a teeny, tiny, itty-bitty god damned _fraction_ of their army! All of the world's armies combined would be nothing compared to the numbers they had! Earth is all but defenseless!"

"That's why the Avengers were formed," Steve pointed out gently.

"Yes. Great. The Avengers!" Tony said, turning to Steve and exaggeratedly waving his hands. "Dude, sure, we can handle Earth's problems all day and all night. But the problems coming from up there? We'd lose, Steve! That up there? That's the fucking end game, man. We're nothing compared to them. Nothing! We'd... we'd _lose_."

Steve's gaze remained locked with Tony's. His stance was calm. Accepting even. He took a step forward and clasped Tony's shoulder gently.

"Then we'll lose together," Steve said gently. "We'll face these dangers together and figure things out together. Tony, you shouldn't have gone behind our backs like this. Were a team."

Tony slumped and rubbed at his face. Loki couldn't help but smirk and let out a dark chuckle of amusement. Thor turned to look at him, concern in his eyes. Everyone else turned to look at him as well, wariness in their own eyes. They'd not yet forgotten his outburst.

"Oh, that you can say that with _so much_ confidence, Steve," Loki commented dryly, waving his hand. "It amuses me. However, I must regrettably say that Tony is right. The things that are out there? You genuinely have no idea. Oh, you could not even begin to comprehend what power they hold in their hands. You are insects. They? They are _giants_. You will lose."

Loki let out a heavy sigh and pinched the bridge of his nose. He let out a huff that was both a laugh and a groan before looking up. He met Tony's gaze.

"You were right about more than just that, however," he said slowly. Bitterly. Loki did so _hate_ being wrong. "I should have spoken up sooner, should have explained why I was so weary of the Staff. For that, I apologize."

Thor's eyes widened at his brother's words. He was, quite honestly, profoundly shocked by such an admission. The others looked on as well, looking weirdly fascinated by Loki's words. Loki didn't often apologize even under his guise as 'Robert.'

"However, I still say that you should _not _have messed with what you don't understand!" Loki stated firmly, hand slashing downwards in a cutting gesture. "Clearly, I can see that humanity is not ready for such power. I suppose the only good news is that you won't even have to concern yourself about those outside threats. Not if you kill yourself off first out of sheer stupidity!"

Tony's brows flew up, his expression gobsmacked. Thor winced slightly. It looked like Loki was not in the mood to pull his punches. This... probably wasn't going to end well.

"Furthermore!" Loki said, his voice rising and his hands clapping together harshly. It was clear he was trying to reign in his temper. "Furthermore, the true owner of the Staff might have previously thought that it was no longer on Earth. With that thought in mind, he may well have begun looking elsewhere for the Staff. Now though? Now he will know that you have used it, out in the open no less! He will come. There is no avoiding that now. You may have merely sped up his arrival rather than postpone it!"

The group stared at each other. Tony raised his hand to point at Loki, mouth opening and closing like a fish for a moment before he finally found his voice.

"That's why you didn't want us to use it!" he said, his own voice rising. "Fu-YOU SHOULD HAVE SAID SO IN THE FIRST PLACE!"

"I'd thought that such a warning was unnecessary," Loki growled back, bearing his teeth in an angry grimace. "I thought you would be smart enough to realize that the dangers involved in utilizing the Staff outweighed any possible gains to be had!"

Loki closed his eyes and visibly reigned his temper back under control. He let out a rough sigh and again pinched at the bridge of his nose.

"Look. That... doesn't matter right now. We need to prioritize our problems," he said in a dull voice. "First, we need to locate Ultron. We have to stop him from weakening Earth's current defenses and take the Staff back from him. Then... _then_ we can start worrying about the outside threats that we might face."

Loki took a deep breath and let it out. It was almost time, wasn't it? He couldn't conceal what he knew anymore.

"I..." he took in another deep breath and sighed heavily. "After we stop Ultron, I will tell you all what I know. Okay?"

Tony took a deep breath himself to try to reign in his own temper with the other man. He nodded and took a step back from the table with his hands raised.

"Okay. Okay," he said, taking another deep breath and letting it out in a huff. He ran his fingers through his hair and then looked back at Loki. "Just... tell me one thing, Rob? Why are you even on Earth? What are you doing here, man?"

"He said he was from an ice planet!" Bruce pipped up suddenly, looking at Loki with a weak smile of apology. "Some... Jotunn... something?"

The group, as a whole, turned to look at Bruce. Loki let out another sigh and face-palmed. He couldn't be upset with the man. The cat was already out of the bag at this point. He was just glad that Bruce hadn't figured out who he actually was.

"Wait a second," Tony said slowly, his brows climbing up into his hair. "Are you telling me you knew about this shit!?"

"Tony... you built a death robot and talked me into helping you," Bruce said in a dry tone. "You don't really get the chance to claim the moral high-ground here, buddy."

"You told Bruce, but no one else?!" Tony asked, voice rising again as he looked back at Loki.

"No, Tony, he didn't," Bruce said, drawing the other man's attention back to himself and ignoring the ping-pong effect they were having on their teammates as their heads whipped back and forth. "He told the Hulk. And I just happened to be listening in at the time."

"But... he... _you_," Tony whipped around to point a finger at Thor. "_You_! You knew about this too! Didn't you!?"

"Well... I um... I..." Thor stuttered a bit and swallowed roughly. How was he supposed to answer _that_ loaded question? "Erhm..."

"Robert said that his and Thor's planets have been at war for five-thousand years or so," Bruce said, once more drawing attention back to himself. He almost smiled. The team was going to develop whiplash at this rate. "I don't think either of them wants to talk about it."

At his words, both Thor and Loki turned away from each other. A deep flush crawling up their necks as they did so. Really, their blushes would only further sell the story to the others. Steve shook his head and stepped forward.

"Either way, things are as Robert said," Steve said firmly. "The threat out there? Not our priority at this moment. Ultron is. He is on the loose, and we have to fix our mess."

Everyone nodded gravely at his words. It was true. They could only deal with the threats that they could see. Not the ones they couldn't. Loki let out a sigh and rubbed the back of his neck, his blush slowly fading as he looked at the ceiling.

"Hey, Tony?" Loki started with a sigh. "To help settle your mind so you can focus on what's important? That threat who has his eyes on Earth? He's of great concern to me as well. It's part of why I am here, with this group. I recognized that the Avengers were the Earth's greatest possible defense against the coming threat. Well, the Avengers and S.H.I.E.L.D. really. Hydra was something that I happened to stumble upon while investigating S.H.I.E.L.D., and I leaked the information in the hopes that it would lead to the destruction of Hydra. Thus paving the way for Earth to have the room it needed to build upon its' defenses. I was... happy when I found a way inside the group. It gave me the greatest opportunity possible to work towards my goal. It... it is disappointing, however, to see years of work vanish in the blink of an eye. I... feel as if I have overestimated your abilities."

Tony sucked in a harsh breath at Loki's words, and he looked down. They clearly hit the other man right where it was intended to. Loki... Loki just needed Tony to focus on the _now_. The man's mind would always work at double-speed compared to others. If Loki didn't do something to put the man's mind at ease, at least a little bit, then the brilliant engineer would be too distracted by the thought of the looming threat to be of any use to anyone.

"Can you tell us what all is up there?" Tony asked, helplessly mussing up his hair as he stared at the ground. Pepper moved over to place a hesitant hand on his shoulder, and he leaned into the touch.

"I don't need to tell you that," Loki responded with a small sigh. "You've already seen it. That's why you're acting like this."

A stunned and awkward silence filled the room. Tony let out a weak laugh and closed his eyes, hands falling to his sides and closing into shaking fists. Thor, hells, _everyone_, eyed the brilliant man with concern in their eyes. Pepper placed her arm around Tony just as Steve clapped his hands together.

"Right," Steve said, his firm, commanding tone helping to snap the others out of their dazed state. "Let's clean up our own mess first. Let's stop Ultron!"


	39. God of lies

Strucker was dead.

Strucker, the last remaining Hydra leader, the last _true_ leader of Hydra itself, was dead.

And yet, to the Avengers, it didn't feel like a victory to be celebrated. It felt like a bitter defeat. Fury had sent them photos of the scene that S.H.I.E.L.D. agents had found, a computer hard drive, and a literal ton of paperwork stored in boxes and filing cabinets. One photo was of Strucker's lifeless body was slumped against a gold, metal-grey wall. His neck had been slit open. Splashes of arterial blood had sprayed outwards to paint the walls, his clothes, and the furniture in the room. Upon the wall was a single word, painted with Strucker's own blood as if in mockery of their efforts, was the word 'Peace.'

It was a message to the Avengers. A clear and terrifying message. Despite their best efforts, the Avengers hadn't been able to track down Strucker on their own. Even Loki's aid had done nothing to assist them. And yet, Ultron... Ultron had done what they could not, and he was mocking them. Showing them that he had resources they didn't.

_Look..._ that message said._ Look at this. I killed this man when you couldn't. I did this, and I didn't even have to. _

"Why do all of the super-villains we run into think that killing someone to achieve lasting peace is a good idea?" Tony asked darkly, rubbing at his face. "Shit, wasn't Loki the same way too?"

Loki didn't respond to Tony's words beyond looking down and away from the group.

"And then, there's the bullshit being spouted by the so-called 'freedom fighters' that used my weapons to aid their causes," Tony ranted, kicking a chair and sending it rolling until it hit the wall with a bang. "Oh sure, they might say they're fighting in the name of peace. They'll even say 'it's for the Greater Good!' Well, they can fuck off with that bullshit!"

"There will always be men like you..." Loki said in a soft, distant voice, thinking that Tony was being immensely hypocritical at that moment.

"I'm sorry, what was that?" Tony asked, turned to look at Loki with a frown.

"Nothing," Loki said with a shake of his head as he looked up to meet Tony's eyes. "Regardless, this murder seems rather sloppy, does it not? As if it were rushed? Strucker may well have been aware of something that Ultron does not want us to know. There is no other logical reason for him to have been tracked down and targeted so. Ultron could have killed anyone at all and gotten the same results from us. Hell, killing the President of the USA or another world leader would probably have sent an even bigger message.

"Dude," Tony started to say with a shudder. "Can you not say that so casually? Please?

"I am merely saying that he _could_ have done so," Loki said pointed. "He simply chose not to because he could not be bothered with such a thing, I imagine."

Natasha hummed from her spot next to one of Tony's computers. She'd connected the hard drive to it to try to search for information.

"All the files on the computer are gone. Of course, they are," she said with a sigh as she stepped away from the bloodstained table. "Ultron must have deleted them all. We have nothing."

"Well..." Tony said as he looked around the room. "We have nothing in _digital_ format... "

What they did have, again, was paperwork. Files that had originally been stored away in various folders, boxes, and cabinets throughout the outpost itself. All gathered up and sent their way. It was rather amusing, really. Here they were, the greatest fighters on Earth, and they were stuck sorting through paperwork. Everyone pitched in to try to sort through the mess.

The mighty Thor, the god of thunder. Captain America, the hero who had fought and defeated Nazi's by the thousands. Black Widow, the world's greatest assassin. Clint, arguable the best archer in the world. Tony, the man of Iron and one of, if not the most, brilliant man on Earth. All of them... sorting through paperwork like fresh interns in an office building.

Loki's eyes passed over the papers in his hand, his fake glasses sliding down his nose as he read. He set aside any documents that he deemed 'useless' and tried to search for something that might help their goals. A glance upwards showed him that Thor was doing the same nearby, and he started slightly. Thor was... being more quiet and patient than Loki had ever seen from him before now. Usually, by now, Thor would have grown bored. This? This was downright unnerving to see.

"I'm a bit surprised you haven't flown out there to find and bash Ultron over the head with your big hammer," Loki said softly, admitting his thoughts aloud.

"A few years ago, and I probably would have done so by now," Thor responded with a smirk and a chuckle. His smile faded. "Admittedly, I did smash the body Ultron had been in. That didn't work. Clearly, strength alone will not be the answer to besting this foe."

"Alright, enough. Who are you, and where is Thor?" Loki said in a soft, dead-pan voice as he set aside yet another useless page. His words forced a chuckle from Thor's throat. "Please tell me that you are holding him captive in the deepest, darkest cave you could find, O' Changling. One with snakes to crawl all over him. He used to love those things, only now he hates them."

"Pah," Thor said in an equally soft voice so as not to draw the others' attention. "Only because you disguised yourself as one, and when I went to pick you up, then turned back to normal and stabbed me with a dagger! Truly, why did you _do_ that?"

"Because," Loki started with a soft snort, "you foolishly said that shapeshifting was a useless skill. That I was wasting my time learning it. If I recall right, you asked me how such a 'useless skill' could ever possibly prove useful during a battle. All I was doing was proving my point that it was a valuable skill to learn!"

"Oh..." Thor said with a blink, fingers pausing over another folder. "I said that?"

"Yes, you did," Loki responded with a prim sniff as he pushed his glasses back up his nose. "Your specific words were, 'Why do you spend so much time trying to make illusions, Loki? What use could it have? Any spear you conjure will be unable to harm anything since it's just an illusion. Just air. How could that ever be useful?'"

Thor blushed at Loki's mocking tone as he threw Thor's own words back in his face. Words that were somehow made worse by the fact that they were speaking so softly. Thor looked down and to the side.

"I... am sorry," Thor said. "I... was a dumb kid."

Loki blinked at him in surprise. Thor was apologizing? That... He eyed Thor warily for a moment before turning his attention back to the paper in his hand. Thor let out a small huff.

"That's still not an excuse to have stabbed me, though!" Thor said pointed, again keeping his voice low. "I was just a kid! It hurt, and I was bleeding. _A lot_!"

Loki shrugged and set the page in his hand aside, then picked up another one. Thor frowned at him and leaned forward.

"You are not going to apologize?" Thor asked quietly.

"For what?" Loki asked, his tone dismissive. He huffed and set aside another page, still refusing to look at Thor.

"Stabbing me!" Thor said with a frustrated hiss.

"And which stabbing should I apologize for?" Loki asked in a dry tone.

Thor started to snap at him, thinking specifically of the snake joke, but then stopped and groaned. Really, his brother _did _have a bad habit of stabbing him over the years. Thor rubbed at his face, and Loki smirked.

"Sometimes, I think that you have the most _awful_ sense of humor I have ever come across," Thor said as if he were declaring some great truth.

"Well, at least you can recognize my humor for what it is now," Loki said, his smirk widening.

He started to say more and then closed his mouth. He looked up at Thor. Loki's eyes narrowed, and his lips curled downward into a puzzled frown. Thor offered him a small smile and tilted his head at the confused look.

"I told you," he said in a soft, earnest voice. "I desire to learn more."

Loki blinked in surprise. He'd heard Thor's words but had not believed them. He huffed and turned back to the paper in his hand. Oh, he'd already read this one. He tossed it aside and grabbed a new stack. Thor set aside the folder he'd been working on and picked up another. They worked in silence for a few before Thor spoke up again.

"I must say that I am surprised," Thor admitted quietly. "I had not thought that you would reveal so much of your true origins to the other Avengers."

"Hn," Loki let out a sigh and leaned back in his seat. "There is a mistake that people make when building a false persona. They believe that, in order to sell the lie, the mask, that they are trying to present, that everything about that persona must be a lie. However, that is the surest way to be discovered. Instead, the perfect lie is one that holds a kernel of truth to it."

Thor would blink in surprise and then lean forward in his own seat. His eyes showed his eagerness to learn more about his brother. Loki slowly turned the pages in the file he was holding, eyes skimming over the words as he spoke.

"When you speak the truth, a small lie can slip past someone's guard unnoticed," Loki admitted with a small smirk. He'd look up at Thor. "And yet, the smallest of lies can cause an avalanche of events. For instance, I want you to imagine someone that _always _lies. Everything you've ever known this person to speak is a confirmable lie. As such, this is all that you would expect from him. Even if this person came to you speaking the truth, you would automatically dismiss their words as false, yes?"

Thor would hum thoughtfully at Loki's words and then nod in agreement. Loki nodded back and raised a finger.

"And yet, if someone like Lady Sif comes up to you," Loki continued, "a woman who values honesty and remains steadfastly true to her warrior's code of honor and lied to you, you would believe her, yes? If she came rushing up to you, telling you frantically that Jotunnheim itself was on fire, your first instinct would be to believe her. Even though the statement itself is ludicrous, you would trust her word. Correct?"

Again Thor would take a moment to ponder his brother's words before nodding. It was true. If someone like Lady Sif approached him with such news, he would trust her word. Were it someone like, say Fandral, someone known for his exaggerated stories, especially when it came to women, Thor might not believe him. He nodded his understanding, and Loki continued.

"See?" he said in a smug told. "You'd trust her because everything she's ever told you in the past was the truth. And because you believe her, you would do whatever she might ask of you in such a situation. No matter how weird it might seem. That one lie could lead to a chain of events completely outside of your control."

Thor blinked and leaned back in his seat, the folder in his hands forgotten for the moment. He was astounded by Loki's words. One lie amidst a bed of truths. Was that really all it took? Loki continued.

"Lies need to be used sparingly. Wisely. Else they lose their power," Loki said. He paused, tilting his head as he looked Thor over. "You... seem shocked, o' mighty Thor."

"I... I must admit that I am a little bit scared of you right now," Thor admitted with a weak laugh.

Loki smirked at his expression and then tapped his chin thoughtfully.

"There is one other thing I should mention," Loki began, and Thor's eyes widened. There was _more_? "The more lies you tell, the more you have to keep track of to keep your lies consistent. You should keep the truth intertwined delicately with only a tiny smattering of lies. Lastly, if there is a choice between telling a lie and staying silent, stay silent. Allow others to form their own narrative to fill your silence. This way, you do not trap yourself in your own web of deceit."

Once more, Thor fell into a stunned silence. He stared at Loki as if it were the first time that he was seeing his brother. He'd learned so much within only the course of a few minutes. Loki chuckled at Thor.

"Remember, I am the god of Lies, Thor," he said in a soft voice. "What would you have me do? Turn away from my calling? My very nature?"

"I... I know that. I guess I just... I never really thought about what that title entailed. This is fascinating, though," Thor said. At Loki's doubtful look, he pressed on eagerly, smiling. "I'm serious, it is! You've never told me any of this before!"

"You never asked." Loki responded in a dry, almost bitter tone.

"Ah... I..." Thor blinked and coughed into his hand. "Well... erhm... I..."

Thor would have said more, but a whoop filled the air from across the room. Followed by a clatter and the sound of a chair falling over. Tony's voice filled the air in a shout.

"TEAM!" he hollered eagerly. "We've got ourselves a hell of a jackpot!"

The team turned as one to look at Tony, who was standing next to a bemused Bruce. Thor stood up and walked over, Loki following at a more subdued and thoughtful pace.

"What have you found, friend Stark?" Thor asked.

"You guys ever hear of Wakanda?" Tony asked with an eager smile. Thor and Loki shared a look as the others caught up with them.

"Nooo?" Thor admitted slowly.

"Right, out of towners," Tony would say with a roll of his eyes. "Forgot that for a sec. Right then, so the only Vibranium every found came from a country called Wakanda. Cap's shield is made of the stuff."

Tony waved a hand Steve's way, and he blinked at his signature shield. He'd never thought to ask where they'd gotten the metal to make it. Tony pressed on eagerly.

"Soooo, turns out they were lying to us about that being the only bit of Vibranium in existence," Tony said with a snort. "Bruce and I think they have more of the stuff and..."

Here Tony would trail off, looking at Bruce with a wince. He turned back to the team with a small huff as he ran his hand through his hair.

"We think that Ultron may have headed that way," Tony continued. "I mean, he'd probably want some of the world's toughest stuff to make himself a nice, fancy, indestructible body for himself."

"Suit up, everyone," Steve said after a moment to digest the information. "We're heading out."

Thor started to follow the group out and then paused when he noticed that Loki wasn't following. Loki had, in fact, taken a seat next to one of the computers.

"You are not joining us?" Thor asked. Loki smirked and shook his head.

"No. My role is to analyze the situation and instruct you from afar, remember?" Loki said pointedly. "Besides, I do not have powers like you to. It would be foolish of me to go. I would only get in the way."

"Yeah, about that," Tony would say, pausing next to Loki and patting him on the shoulder. "Our communications are connected to the internet and, well... Ultron lives in the internet now, yeah? So... sit this one out, okay, Rob?"

Loki frowned up at Tony. Pepper had walked over there way as well, hands wringing worriedly. Loki glanced back and forth between Thor and Tony.

"Surely, there must be something..." he started, growing frustrated with the knowledge that he would be sidelined like this. "I mean, I could... surely I can..."

He snapped his mouth shut, realizing that he had started to ramble. He almost growled in annoyance. Steve had wandered back over, noticing that some of the team hadn't followed him to the door.

"Hey, we could use an extra pilot on the quinjet actually," Steve said in a soothing tone. "With Ultron having access to the world's internet and... Bluetooth... systems, I don't think relying on autopilot will be a good idea. Think you can handle the job, Robert?"

Loki turned to look at Steve and then glanced briefly at Pepper. She nodded her head at him. If at least one of them were on hand to help the team, she would be fine staying behind. It was an honestly meant offer. He was free to take it or leave it. He turned back to Steve and nodded his head.

"Of course I can handle it," he said with a cocky smirk.


	40. The Scarlet Witch

"Oh, boy. Not good," Tony said as he looked out the window of the jet, "it looks like the party has already started."

The others glanced out the window and saw a big hole in the compound beneath them. Ultron was already down there. Steve nodded his head firmly, tightening his shield on his arm as he started for the hatch. The jet came to a stop over the roof, hovering what was hopefully a safe distance above the building.

"Let's go!" Steve ordered in a brisk tone. "Bruce! You're on back-up duty, okay?

"As usual," Bruce said with a sigh that was equal parts relief and worry, "and as usual, that's just fine by me."

The rest of the group, sans Bruce and Loki, jumped down to the roof below using Tony's jet packs to control their landing. Loki stepped over to the open hatch and glanced down. The rest of the Avengers landed safely and warily made their way to and down the hole.

"Robert, I think you'll want to stand back," Bruce said from his seat. Loki looked over his shoulder and raised a brow at the other man. "No, seriously. You should step back... unless...? Wait, you're not actually intending to follow them, are you?"

"Bruce..." Loki chuckled and smirked at the other man. "We've already established that I am not from Earth. What else do you _not know_ about me? Hm?"

Bruce opened and closed his mouth for a few moments before letting out a sigh and pinching the bridge of his nose. Loki chuckled and shrugged when Bruce looked back up at him.

"Sorry about leaving you alone up here?" Loki offered in a joking tone.

"Sure you are," Bruce said with a dry laugh before waving his hand. "It's okay. Just make sure you don't get hurt. I'll land the jet a little ways away, and we can meet back up there."

"See ya then," Loki said with a wave before grabbing his own jet pack and jumping down to the roof.

He activated the pack and felt himself practically sail through the air. It felt great. Far rougher than his magic, but still _fun_. It had been far too long since he'd last gone outside like this. On an adventure. As it was supposed to, the pack jerked a bit, halting his downward motion in time for him to land smoothly. He knelt down and slipped the pack from his shoulders.

Given that it was one of Tony's inventions, the pack then took off on its own and headed for the quin-jet. Loki grinned and snuck over toward the hole. He glanced around briefly to make sure it was clear and then dropped down.

The fight was already on. Loki ducked behind a concrete pillar and then glanced around the corner. Tony was in the process of tossing Ultron across the room. There were several men with guns, their shots being blocked by Steve's shield. Then there was... Loki's eyes widened as something flickered past his vision faster than his eyes could follow.

The Speedster!

That... wasn't good. The Speedster was working with Ultron. If that was the case, then the sorcerer was probably working with him too. Loki looked around the area and smirked when a certain blonde, Norse God of Thunder, caught sight of him. Thor's eyes widened with surprise before he grinned. Loki's smirk started to widen and then faltered when a shadow snuck up behind Thor.

"Thor!" Loki shouted in warning, but it was already too late.

A woman with long red hair touched the side of Thor's head with her hands. Thor's eyes flew wide, and he froze in place. Mjolnir slipped from his fingers, hitting the ground with a heavy thud. Within seconds of having touched Thor, the woman was gone. Seemingly melting back into the shadows.

_This is bad... this is Very Bad_, Loki thought frantically.

Thor just stayed where he was, unmoving. Unresponsive. Clearly, his mind was trapped. Loki looked around desperately. Where had the sorceress gone? Where was she!?

Loki did his best to stay hidden and out of sight, creeping between the pillars while keeping an eye out for the red-headed woman. His eyes landed on Steve, who had successfully forced back several of the armed men. A pair of delicate hands reached out from the shadows, touching his head much as she had done to Thor. It was too late to try to warn the other man.

_Shit!_ Loki thought with a mental snarl. _This is Bullshit!_

If Loki only had his powers back. Countering the woman's abilities would have been easy! He could have easily played her at her own game. Trap her in a neat little illusion of his own. But as of right now, he was powerless. _Dammit! _

He glanced to the side and saw a different red-head. Maybe he could warn her.

"Natasha!" Loki shouted.

"Ro-Robert?!" Natasha shouted in turn, doing a double-take in his direction.

"The Sorceress!" Loki tried to point in the other woman's direction. "Shes-!"

But again, he was too late. Natasha had just barely started to turn toward the new threat when the other woman's hands brushed against her head. Natasha froze in place, eyes as wide and blank as Steve's and Thor's had become.

Loki hissed softly as the sorceress vanished from sight once more. Where could she go next? Who was her next target based on proximity? Left! Loki darted through the shadows and saw her sneaking up on Clint. Loki managed to scramble his way up onto some scaffolding and get above her as she stalked Clint. Right as she was about to touch Clint, Loki dropped down to land behind her and grabbed her by the back of the neck.

"Oh no, you don't," he said with a snarl.

The woman twisted in his grip, turning to face him with a surprised look on her face. She smiled a moment later and reached up to touch his forehead. He caught her wrist in her hand and glowered at her.

"Yeah... how about 'no'?" he said in a stern tone. "You will lift your spell from Thor and the others. _Right now_!"

"Or else what?" she asked with a chuckle of amusement.

Loki was about to speak when she released a massive shockwave that threw Loki backward into the wall. Clint, having finally dealt with the foe he'd been facing, came running over to help. The woman spun around and shoved him back with another burst of magic. This gave Loki enough time to scramble to his feet and try for her again.

"Clint!" Loki shouted as he worked to distract the woman. "Give her a headache, will you?!"

"On it!" Clint responded.

Working together, they managed to distract the woman long enough for Clint to grab her by the head and smack her head hard into the wall. The woman shouted in pain, gripping her skull as she fell to her knees on the ground. Loki let out a huff as he straightened and stepped forward.

"Sorcery takes a great deal of concentration," he said with a sneer, leaning down to get in her face. "It's nearly impossible to cast with a splitting headache. Lift your spell from the others woman. Now!"

The woman looked up at him with a sneer on her lips.

"Oh, I'll remember this. I'll remember _you_," she retorted.

A moment later and she was gone, a burst of wind passing them by. Loki cursed angrily. The Speedster had grabbed her. Taken her from the area. A wide-eyed Clint stared at the spot where she had seemingly vanished from before looking up at Loki.

"Thanks," he said with a shrug.

Loki nodded back at him, and they turned to look around the room. It was, in a word, a mess. Most of the room had been demolished. What soldiers had been left had fled the scene. Three of their teammates, Thor, Steve, and Natasha, were slumped on their knees. Their eyes were wide, staring at nothing with expressions of horror on their faces. Tony was nowhere in sight.

"What's wrong with them?" Clint asked, concern in his voice.

Loki remained quiet and stepped toward the closest one, Natasha. He gave her shoulder a small shake. No response. He gently tipped her head up, finger on her chin, and looked into her horrified eyes. They'd flicker, left and right, just a little bit, pupils narrowing and widening in turn.

"It... looks like they are trapped in some kind of nightmare," Loki said softly. "She's... gotten inside their heads."

Clint shivered, and Loki knew that the archer was being reminded of his time under the effects of Loki and the Staff. Loki let his hand fall away from Natasha and ran his fingers through his hair. If only he had his magic...!

"Are you serious?" Clint asked softly. "I mean... is there anything we can do to help them?"

Loki started to answer, only to be cut off by a tremendous rumbling sound. They looked up toward the hole they'd entered in and frowned.

"What the hell was that?" Clint asked.

Tony came flying in, not a second later, landing roughly and stumbling forward. His face-plate lifted, and his eyes looked wide as he looked around the room. Panicked. What would-?

"THE HULK HAS GONE BERSERK!" he shouted. "THOR, I NEED HELP!"

_Ah, yes, _Loki thought, his own eyes going wide. _That would be a good reason to panic._

"Thor is... he's out of commission right now," he said to Tony with a wince. "I... I'm sorry."

"Robert?! What are you-? No," Tony shook his head and flailed his hands back and forth. "Never mind. I'm glad to see that the Hulk didn't smash you into a pulp! He's gone nuts!"

"It must be that sorceress!" Loki said with wide eyes. He glanced at the others and shook his head. "She did something to them. To their minds. She must have done the same to Bruce. Tony... I..."

"Whoa, easy. It's okay!" Tony said with a weak smile. "I'll do what I can to keep the Hulk in line. Though, if you could try to wake Thor up, that would be great, yeah?"

Tony didn't give Loki a chance to respond before he was gone. Loki swallowed roughly and made his way to Thor's side, leaving Clint to worriedly try to shake Natasha out of her own stupor. Thor had slumped down to his knees and back and to the side so that he was leaning against the wall. His body was sparking with random bursts of electricity. His blue eyes, like Natasha's, were wide with some horror that only he could see. His lips were moving silently, almost as if in prayer or denial.

What could Thor possibly be witnessing to frighten him so? Loki shook his head worriedly. It was almost alien to see such fear on Thor's face. Loki knelt down next to him and pressed his fingers to Thor's temple. He closed his eyes and mumbled under his breath. Words that he knew by heart. Words that Frigga herself had taught him. Words of healing and of cleansing the mind.

Loki opened his eyes, and his shoulders slumped. Thor was the same. Loki hissed angrily and shook his head. He looked up at the ceiling, _beyond_ the roof.

"I am trying to _help_!" he whisper-shouted to the one he knew was watching him even now. "Heimdal, surely, a healing spell would be allowable!"

Silence greeted him, and he snarled. He grabbed Thor by the shoulders and gave him a harsh shake.

"Thor! Thor, you big, stupid oaf, Wake Up!" he shouted as he shook the other man. The Thunder God's head rolled back. "Dammit! Come on, O' Golden Prince of Asgard! It's naught but a simple mind trick! Snap out of it! Are you not the Mighty Thor? Bah! What use are your powers when you cannot even find your way out of such a simple, _stupid_, trick!"

Loki snarled in frustration, his hand lashing out to smack Thor across the face. Despite the firmness of the blow, Thor remained unresponsive. His head lolled to the side with the blow, his lips still moving silently. Loki hissed and fell back on his heels, covering his face with his hands.

"Shit," Loki said with feeling. "_Shit_!"

Silence greeted his words, and his head jerked up worriedly. He turned and saw that Clint had carefully picked up Natasha and had her balanced over his shoulder. Their eyes met, and Clint shrugged his free shoulder.

"No luck with him?" Clint asked, jerking his chin toward Thor.

"None," Loki answered with a huff. Clint had apparently been focused on Nat while he'd been focused on Thor.

"We should get them out of here," Clint said with a nod of his head. "I'll take Nat here back to the jet. Pick your poison."

He said the last with a weak smile and a jerk of his head toward first Thor and then Steve. Loki rolled his eyes at that and stood up, looking at the two muscle-bound men before looking back to Clint.

"Mmhmm, I see how it is," Loki said with a weak laugh. "You get to take the dainty little one back, and I'm stuck breaking my back dragging the brick walls back to the jet."

"Nah, I know you're stronger than you look, man," Clint said with a soft laugh as he walked past Loki and patted him on the shoulder. "Grab one of the guys, and then we can move the last one together, yeah?"

Loki growled weakly and rolled his eyes, but he grabbed Thor's arm and pulled the dead-weight up and onto his back. He stumbled backward a few feet and cursed, just catching himself before he fell over.

"Have you put on weight?!" he asked incredulously, despite knowing that Thor couldn't answer him. "I swear, if you gained weight just to annoy me, I'm going to-!"

Loki stumbled slightly over a bit of debris and caught himself with another curse. He jerked his shoulder, bouncing Thor about a bit so that he was settled a little better over his shoulder.

"See, this is what I have always hated about you," Loki continued to rant under his breath as he made his way out of the building. "You always run off, head-first, into trouble. You have to count on others to get you out of the mess you landed in! Nothing but a big, fat idiot is what you are. Mightest hero, my bloody ass!"


	41. Why we wouldn't kneel

It really was a miserable sight, seeing half of the Avengers lying out in a line on the floor of the quinjet. Clint and Loki had managed to get the others on board while Tony had managed to get Bruce's limp form onboard. Bruce had been gently set down by Natasha and Loki had looked him over. Bruce was not wounded, but, as he had previously explained, that was to be expected. He had accelerated healing.

Still, that wasn't their main concern just then.

They were flying above the area where Hulk had lost control and gone on a rampage. It was... not good. Several buildings had been destroyed, multiple roads had been torn up, and Tony? Tony looked a little worse for wear. He had slipped out of his armor and was nursing a black eye and a nasty looking bruise on his shoulder. Beyond that...? Yeah, he looked like he'd had a run-in with a freight train.

The first one of the fallen to stir was Thor. It looked like his Asgardian blood was good for something. The blonde sat up slowly, holding his head in pain.

"What in the All Fathers' glory...?" he started to say with a groan. He looked around through bleary eyes, and his expression fell as the reality of the situation dawned on him. "What... what happened?"

"Can we wait to explain until the others wake up?" Loki asked in a weary voice. "I am far too tired to try and explain this four different times."

Thor rubbed at his head, staying silent for a moment before he looked Loki's way. Loki was turned away from him, shoulders slumped. He really did look exhausted, even without seeing his face.

"You doing alright?" Clint asked as the silence looked like it would loom on.

"Aye, Friend Clint. I will be fine," Thor said with a groan. "I merely feel as if I spent the night drinking Dwarven mead... and then had someone hit me upside the head with my own hammer... Ah... speaking of, where is...?"

"Do you really think that any of us could have lifted the blasted thing?" Loki snapped in a weak tone, rubbing at his own face.

"Ah... yes, quite... Let me just...?" Clint waved him over to the hatch, and Thor took the time to summon Mjolnir back to his hand before going to sit back down.

It wasn't long after that before Steve started to stir and sit up. Natasha followed suit, cursing first in Russian, then German and then a few other languages much to Clint's amusement. He bantered with her a few moments only to have her semi-playfully toss the jacket that had acted as her pillow at his head. Bruce finally let out a groan and Tony stepped away from the pilots' seat to kneel next to his 'science-bro.'

"Heya Bruce," Tony started keeping his voice soft. "You doing... okay?"

"Ah... Tony?" Bruce's head lolled in Tony's direction, his eyes groggy and out of focus. "I thought... I had the worst dream... The Hulk was...smashing... up..."

Bruce jerked up into a sitting position and almost fell back over. Tony steadied him eave as Bruce started shaking his head and holding out his fingers towards Tony's bruised eye.

"Tony.,. your face!" Bruce said with an audible gulp. "Oh, no. No, no, no... please don't tell me... please!"

Tony closed his eyes and leaned back, shaking his head sadly. A look of pure terror passed over Bruce's face. He slowly put the pieces together. The dream, Tony's injuries, and expression. Bruce's own expression twisted from one of terror to one of confusion and sadness. He shook his head desperately and placed his head in his hands with a despairing wail of noise.

"No! NOO!" he screamed in frustration. "This wasn't supposed to happen again! Not again! Dammit!"

"Bruce..." Natasha said in a soft voice, moving to stand.

"AAAARGGHH!" Bruce shouted, hammering his fists against the floor of the Quin-jet.

Natasha moved quickly over to his side, wrapping her arms around him gently.

"Shhh. Shhh," she said in a soothing tone. "It's okay, Bruce. It's going to be okay. Shhh."

Bruce let out a choked sob, tears falling down his cheeks as he fell, quaking into Natasha's comforting hold. It took several moments, but eventually, his despairing cries tapered off into silent ones. He continued to cry until he seemingly exhausted himself, and Natasha helped him to lean back against the wall of the Quin-jet. He stared up at the ceiling with a look of utter hopelessness in his eyes. Loki stiffened at his expression, jaw working silently before he finally spoke up, trying to keep his words as careful as possible.

"It wasn't your fault Bruce. You or the Hulks," he said in a soft tone. Bruce hissed at him like a disgruntled cat. "I'm serious. There was a Sorceress down there. She has the most terrifying power known to those with magic; the power to affect and control the mind. She was able to ensorcell Thor, Steve, and Natasha. Not just you."

"Sorcery," Tony muttered with a soft scoff of sound. "You know when you say it like that it sounds kind of like bull..."

Tony fell silent and shook his head. Loki grimaced slightly and was about to explain further when Thor spoke up.

"Sorcery is real," Thor said in a gentle but firm voice. "My mother is a Grand Sorceress. Her mastery lies in powers over illusions and the healing arts. Knowledge that she passed on to my brother. You've seen those abilities yourself first hand with Loki's illusion spells. Asgardian's have other spell crafters. There are people, like my mother, who are able to heal a wound in a matter of seconds. Others still can make a tree grow into the sky before your very eyes!"

"Ultimately, it does not matter what you call it. Sorcery or Technology," Loki said, quickly cutting off Thor's explanation as Tony's eyes darkened. "Tony, think about it. If you were to travel, say, three hundred years into your world's past, and showed people your smartphone, people would call that Sorcery. What matters most right now isn't how you want to label things. What matters is that this woman has the ability to toy with other people's minds!"

"Yeah..." Clint would say with a shudder. "Don't know about you lot, but I've had enough of that crap to last a lifetime. Thanks, but no."

"Is there an APB out on Bruce?" Steve asked softly.

"No," Tony said with a sigh. "No one was hurt, except me, so he was allowed to go free on the promise that we would control him and not let anyone be hurt. If we lose control of him, then... we're supposed to turn him over to the authorities."

Bruce ducked his head, staring down at his hands. Natasha continued to rub his shoulder soothingly. Steve glanced at the floor and then shook his head before he looked up, eyes resolute.

"We're not going to do that," Steve said in a firm voice. "Not to our friend. Right?"

The others nodded their heads in agreement.

"Right then... just one question," Tony said in a halting tone. "Where do we go from here? It might not be safe for us to go back to the tower right now. Not with all of us injured like this."

Clint was in the process of standing, hands swiping over his dirty pants, and he paused. He let out a huff and then looked up.

"I've got an idea of where we can stay," he said.

* * *

Clint flew them out to the middle of nowhere and landed the jet near a farmhouse. Or... something that looked like a farmhouse anyway.

The inside of the house was as homey as it could possibly be. Wooden furniture that looked hand-carved. Dozens of photos of a happy family. Children's drawings proudly displayed upon the walls. Legos, which everyone wisely walked around, were scattered on the floor. There were pillows of various shapes and colors strewn about the many rooms. Even a ceramic mug, half-full of warm tea, lay on a knitted cosie on a glass table.

As they moved into the dining room, a woman with a rounded, pregnant belly greeted them with a smile. There were also two children who, upon catching sight of Clint, squealed happily and ran up to the man while ignoring the others. Tony wasn't alone in the staring as the kids yelled 'DAD!' at the top of their lungs. Even Loki was staring at the man with wide eyes.

Clint grinned widely as he picked up the youngest of the two kids, the boy, and swung him about in a circle. He then leaned over and kissed the girl on her forehead before giving her a one-armed hug. With his hands full, he went to the woman and gave her one hell of a kiss. The kids 'eeeewed!' loudly and good-naturedly and squirmed free from Clint, only to run and hug Natasha with cries of 'Aunt Nat!'

Now, Loki already knew, like the others, that Clint had a place he lived outside of the Avengers tower. There had even been a few words here and there that hinted at Clint having a family. Still, the way Clint had talked, all vague-like, had left Loki thinking that he was taking care of an older relative. A mother or an older sibling. He'd gotten the impression that he might have a girlfriend but.. not _this_! This woman wasn't merely his girlfriend, but his _wife_. A wife, kids, and a picturesque farmhouse ranch? Oh, no. Loki hadn't expected this at all.

Clint would chuckle as he turned and saw their expressions of surprise.

"When I first joined S.H.I.E.L.D.," Clint started, arm wrapped casually around his wife's, _his wife's_, waist, "part of the deal was that they would hide my wife. Keep her safe from the dangers of my job. This place is pretty much off the grid, stricken from all the records. It's safe... well, as safe as we can hope it to be."

"Well, then... I guess this'll work out well enough until we figure sh... _ things_ out," Tony said hesitantly, finally managing to reboot his brain after the shock. "Erhm... thank you for letting us stay here, Mrs. um... Barton?"

"Call me Laura," the woman said with a smile. "Oh, it's so nice to finally meet all of you. Clint has told me so much about you all. Also, I'll admit, I've seen you on the television. Quite impressive!"

"Yeah, see, that's the funny part," Tony eyed Clint bemusedly, much to Laura's amusement. "He hasn't said a da-_dang _thing about you."

"I told you before, I keep work and family stuff strictly separated," Clint said drily before letting out a sigh. "However, right now...? Given what's been going on, this was the best thing I could think of. Just... don't make a mess of this, yeah? My family means everything to me."

The others nodded their heads seriously, even Loki. Clint was showing them, all of them, an incredible amount of trust in bringing them here. They, as one, thought to make sure that his idyllic home wouldn't be destroyed.

And then Loki's stomach rumbled ominously, causing everyone to look at him in various degrees of shock. Loki blushed and rubbed the back of his neck.

"I'm... hungry?" he said sheepishly.

"No, don't!" the kids cried out together as Clint suddenly grinned.

"Hello Hungry, my name's Clint. It's good to meet you," Clint said, jokingly holding out his hands as the kids groaned loudly and shoved at their dad's legs.

"Really, sweetie?" Laura said with a laugh, kissing his cheek before moving toward the kitchen.

"What?! I'm a dad! Dad Jokes are mandatory in this household!" Clint called after her as the kids continued to playfully attack his legs. "Mandatory, I tell you!"

The tension melted away in a wash of good humor as the Avengers settled in to rest.

* * *

Later that afternoon, Loki found himself alone, sitting outside in the grass. His eyes were pinned upon the horizon and the setting sun. He was almost as still as a statue, legs folded beneath him, and his breathing calm and steady as if in meditation. The once-frozen soldier-of-the-past walked up to him.

"That... it looks like you're meditating or..." Steve started in a hesitant tone.

Loki blinked and glanced at him before nodding and turning his gaze back to the horizon.

"It is. I am trying to sort through the chain of events that led us to this point," he admitted quietly. "And trying to figure out what the next best choice would be from here. What would be the most logical course of action."

"Have any ideas then?" Steve asked calmly.

"I have several, however... I do not believe you would wish to hear them," Loki said with a weak smirk.

Thor chose that moment to walk up to the pair. He paused briefly at the sight of Steve and rubbed at the back of his neck before he approached.

"Erhm. Hello Friend Rogers," Thor said with a faint smile. "I hope you do not mind, but I wished to have a word with Robert... privately."

"Do you now?" Steve asked with a small, amused smile on his lips. "Sure, just give me a moment, and I'll leave you two alone. Robert? Share the ideas you have? Even if I might not like them, I'd like to hear them. It's good to look at all the angles of a problem."

"Well, there is the obvious answer," Loki said in a dry tone.

"And that is?" Steve asked with a tilt of his head.

"You submit," Loki said with a shrug.

At that, both Steve and Thor looked at him. Steve was frowning while Thor just looked confused. Loki sighed and looked up at the pair, leaning back to brace his hands against the grassy ground beneath him.

"I am only saying that humans fight each other every single day," Loki said softly. "Thousands die from the actions of other humans. Now? Now you are facing a threat from the stars that could annihilate you in an instant. If you allow Ultron what he wants, if you allow him to take over, you could guarantee safety from that outside threat."

Loki let out a sigh and stood up, brushing off his pants. He turned to face the two blondes directly. He crossed his arms.

"All you have to do is call him, and tell him that you submit," Loki said softly. "It... doesn't have to be any worse than that."

Thor and Steve looked at him incredulously. As if he had gone insane. Loki tilted his head at them and raised a brow at Steve questioningly. He'd wave his hand in a circular motion, trying to encourage the other man to talk. Steve let out a faint huff and shook his head.

"That's not an option, Robert," Steve responded softly.

"Why?" Loki asked, his tone sincere. He truly wanted to understand Steve's logic in immediately dismissing such a thing. "Why not do so when it would help protect your world?"

"Because we would be sacrificing our freedoms," Steve stated firmly.

"Well... it's rather clear that you have difficulty handling freedom," Loki said with a dry laugh. "As long as there is freedom, there will be conflict. You know this, yes? You will continue to kill each other. Forever."

"And we'll deal with that as we go along, taking it one issue and day at a time," Steve said confidently.

"It won't stop, though. It'll keep on occurring, every day you are 'free.' That is the nature of things," Loki said with a shake of his head and a sigh. "Something that is apparently true no matter _where_ you go in the Universe..."

Steve closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. He took a slow breath and let it out, letting his hand fall back to his side. He met Loki's gaze, eyes earnest as he started to talk.

"Imagine if you lived in a society." Steve tried, pausing for a moment before continuing. "You are taken care of. All of your basic needs are indeed taken care of, and you are safe from the 'outside.' Safe from any and all threats while living in... in what amounts to a big bubble. In turn, though, you are not allowed to act out of bounds. You are to do _exactly_ what you have been assigned to do. Exactly what you are told to do. Whether that is working in a factory or a field. What you say or even _think_ is highly regulated. Not only that, but you are not allowed to show even a _single_ shred of rebelliousness. Thinking for yourself or questioning your master is forbidden and will result in your death. You are safe, but there is no freedom. Now... what would you call that sort of life?"

"Hell," Loki said after a moment.

"Exactly," Steve stated. "If we are willing to sacrifice our own freedom for safety, we don't deserve either. And that's why… That's why humans will _always _fight back against overlords who seek to dominate. Life is worth nothing if freedom is not a fundamental part of it! So no, we will never submit to Ultron or anyone else who demands the same thing."

Loki eyed Steve with a very puzzled expression. Thor was also looking at the other man with wide eyes. Steve chuckled softly and shook his head.

"Anything else to add to that, Robert?" Steve asked, and Loki shook his head.

"I... honestly did not expect you to answer that so succinctly," Loki admitted with a faint huff of amusement. "And... I have nothing to add. You..."

Loki abruptly held out his hand to Steve. Steve blinked at the hand in surprise and looked back up at him with a raised brow.

"I've been bested," Loki said with a faint smile, "and I wish to shake your hand. You have given me something to think about. I may spend a very long time examining your words."

Steve smiled in amusement but took Loki's hand firmly in his own. He shook it briefly and let go, letting his hands fall back to his sides.

"You were willing to ask and then listen to my response. That's how we learn," Steve said with a faint smile. "You have the potential to do a lot of good, Loki. I wouldn't have believed it before, but I do now."

"Thank you, I suppose. I-" Loki's words caught in his throat. His eyes flew wide. "W-w-what did you just call me?"

Steve stayed quiet, still smirking as he crossed his arms. Thor was gaping at the other blood in astonishment. Steve though. Steve looked outright triumphant.

"You-! I-! How long have you known?!" Loki asked through hissed teeth, looking around to make sure no one was near to overhear them.

"I've had my suspicions for a while now," Steve admitted with a small shrug. "Though, I only became sure of who you were when you suggested that we should submit. 'Kneel,' right?"

Loki let out a scoff and looked away.

"Must have been different for you to be on the other end of that for once, huh?" Steve asked with a gentle smile.

"Actually, I've been stuck kneeling for most of my life," Loki said darkly, crossing his own arms over his chest. "I merely swore that I would never kneel to Odin, or anyone else, ever again."

"Well, that's rather hypocritical of you," Steve said with a raised brow. "You recognize why being forced to kneel for others is its' own hell, but you would turn around to force an entire planet to kneel to you?"

Loki sputtered but fell silent. Thor looked thoughtful, tapping at his chin. He spoke into the silence.

"You know, Loki," Thor started thoughtfully. "You have made it clear that you despise Odin for his actions, and I can understand why now. But for someone who despises all of those aspects of the All-Father... well, you certainly have been acting very much like him.

"I... _What_?!" Loki turned to Thor with an angry hiss. "What do you mean? Explain yourself!"

"Well… Odin has conquered many realms in the name of peace. Like you tried to do with Midgard," Thor pointed out in a thoughtful, yet gentle tone. "He demanded that others kneel to him as you did. Then there is the way you act when you are negotiation and so forth too. Odin rarely, if ever, makes compromises. The only time he does so is when he had found a way that benefits _him_ more than anyone else. You do that too. You never compromise unless it suits you. And we have long since established it now that Odin is far from shy when it comes to omitting the truth to suit his own needs. His own narrative. In fact, who knows how many lies he has spun by now? What do we not know? It's all so tangled with the truth now that it's impossible to tell Odin's lies from the truth. That's what you talked about before, isn't it? Back at the Avengers Tower? Wrap your lies in a cocoon of truth so people won't figure out where the truth ends, and the lies begin. He does that. A lot. You... are a lot alike."

"No. No, we are _not_!" Loki shouted, slashing his hand through the air to point at Thor. "You take that back right _now_, Thor!"

Steve let out a soft chuckle of amusement as he looked between the two brothers. He moved over to Loki and placed a calming hand on his shoulder.

"Well then, if you do not desire to be like your estranged father, might I suggest some self-reflection on the matter?" Steve offered the advice in a gentle tone.

"He's not even my father!" Loki said defensively, turning to look at Steve with a glare.

"Isn't he, though?" Steve said gently, still smiling. "It sounds to me like you've picked up a lot of his bad habits."

"I don't want to listen to you anymore," Loki said with a pout, lightly knocking Steve's hand away.

Thor shook his head and chuckled softly. He glanced at the ground and then back up at Steve.

"I... Friend Rogers..." Thor started and fell silent, running his fingers through his hair. "I apologize for not telling you the truth about Loki's punishment."

"No need," Steve said as he held up a hand. "I assume that Earth was never in danger from Loki's presence here once you guys dropped him off. Right?"

"Aye," Thor said with a shake of his head. "He has been stripped of all of his magical powers, and his strength was reduced. Furthermore, he is under constant surveillance by the All-Seer Heimdall, who ensures that Loki can never harm a human directly or indirectly."

"It's a pain in the ass is that it is. He shouts. Loudly," Loki said with a pout, pointing at his head. "Up here."

Steve smiled and let out a soft chuckle.

"If there is a chance that a criminal can better himself or herself and do good for society in the future, then this possibility ought to be explored rather than letting those people rot away in a hole for life," Steve said with a smile. "I am glad to see that Asgard has the wisdom to see the same."

"By the All-father, what are you _made_ of Steve?" Loki asked, throwing his hands up in exasperation. His tone turned mocking. "Fairy dust and rainbow glitter? Sugar and Spice and everything nice?"

"That's what girls are supposed to be made of," Steve said with an open laugh.

"Riiiight," Loki said, pinching his nose. "Seriously, could you do me a favor and shut up now?"

"Though, I will keep quiet a bit longer about your real identity when it comes to the others," Steve said with a smirk, his eyes far more serious than his expression alluded to. "Bruce, Tony, Nat... hell, Clint... They might not be as forgiving as I am."

"Gee... thanks," Loki said with a snort.

"Well..." Steve would shake his head and back away a step. "You wanted to have a word in private, yes, Thor? I'll leave you two to it."

"Ah… Thank you," Thor said, rubbing at the back of his neck. "Though... I suppose now that you know of Loki's true identity it doesn't really matter. I mean..."

Steve shook his head and held up a hand.

"I have no desire to be caught in the middle of a conflict between two brothers. I'll see you guys at dinner, yeah?" he said and then walked away.

The two Norse gods stared after him, both looking more than a little astounded by the man. Really, Steve was a unique individual. They looked at each other after a long moment.

"What did you want?" Loki asked quickly, obviously not wanting to talk anymore about Steve or the subject he'd brought up.

"I..." Thor frowned and crossed his arms. "I seek your advice."

"Really?" Loki asked in surprise.

"Yes," Thor said with a firm nod. "When the witch gave me those visions... I… I saw something."

"You all did," Loki said with a shrug. "She essentially trapped all of you inside a nightmare. It was nothing more than a mere illusion, however. You shouldn't be concerned."

"No, Loki. This was different," Thor said earnestly with a shake of his head. "I mean... yes, part of it was a horrible nightmare. It was... no, that doesn't matter. What matters was what I saw after the horrors ended. I saw six stones. Stones that... that somehow tied the universe together with their power. I've... I've never heard of such stones before, and yet I saw them. I... I feel like I need to seek answers... to... Loki? Are you well?"

Loki had frozen as Thor spoke, his eyes wide and... fearful? Thor moved over to him, hand raised as if to rest on his shoulder. He let his hand fall away as Loki shook his head and swallowed roughly.

"S-six... stones?" Loki asked hesitantly.

"You've heard of them then?" Thor asked. Loki looked up at him, and the look in his eyes told Thor enough. "What are they?"

"They... they are the very fabric of the universe, given physical form in the shape of jewel-like stones. Space, Mind, Reality, Power, Time and Soul," Loki said, raising a finger for each stone as he listed them off. "You've actually held the Space Stone in your hands..."

"I did?" Thor asked with a confused blink. "When?"

"The Space Stone is also called the Tesseract," Loki said with a shrug, and Thor's eyes widened, his mouth opening into a wide 'O.' "When they are apart, they are only capable of affecting that which they represent. But even then, they are powerful beyond all measure. Together? Together they could destroy and reforge the entire universe at the will of the wielder. They... If someone had all of them, then they could do... _anything_. That is why these Stones need to be left alone. They should never be gathered. Ever!"

"Loki... I understand, but... I saw the stones, without knowing what they are," Thor said softly. "I must know if there is any meaning behind what I saw."

"And what do you intend to do?" Loki asked with a sigh.

"I... intend to seek out the Water of Sight," Thor said with a rough swallow. "There is a Norn cave, right here on Midgard. My friend Erik Selvig is currently researching it."

"Thor," Loki would start with a frown. "The visions that the Waters grant are... always vague at best. Seers can spend an entire lifetime trying to perfect the art of _interpreting_ the visions. Even Mother admitted that she does not always know what the visions might mean."

"Still... what else can I do?" Thor asked with a heavy sigh.

Loki frowned and looked at the ground. His eyes lit up, and he looked back up at Thor, squaring his shoulders.

"Let me be the one to go and consult the Waters," he said firmly. Thor blinked at him.

"Oh?" he asked. "Why you?"

"Because of the two of us, I am the one who is knowledgeable in the arts of Sorcery," Loki said firmly. Confidently. "I also know more about the Stones than you. You know it makes sense. You are most needed here, to aid the Avengers in the fight against Ultron. Send me to where I can be of the most use. Allow me to visit the Waters. I have a greater chance of deciphering the visions granted by the Norns. You know this."

Thor remained silent for a long moment, his eyes serious. He nodded slowly a few moments later. Loki smiled, relaxing, and feeling honestly relieved.

"Just try to return as quickly as you can," Thor said softly.

"Of course, and who knows?" Loki said as he took a step back. "I might even prove myself worthy of my powers once more! Then I'll give that bratty Sorceress a piece of my mind!"

Thor chuckled heartily at Loki's confidence.

"That would be nice," he admitted.

He clapped Loki on the shoulder and nodded his head. Loki grinned back at him and then darted for the Quni-jet. Thor thought that he would take the jet for a moment, but a smaller, one-person jet-pod launched into the air instead. Tony came running out, not even a second later, shouting and waving his hands.

"Hey! What the he-heck is going on?!" Tony gasped as he stopped near Thor. "Who took one of my pods?!"

"I've sent Robert on a mission," Thor said, rubbing the back of his neck. "Apologies, Friend Stark, I did not mean to worry you. He should be back soon, though."

"Well... alright then..." Tony let out a huff and lightly smacked Thor's arm. "You could have just asked, you know."

"Again, my apologies," Thor said with a smile.

He turned to watch the aircraft as it disappeared into the distance. Tony huffed and made his way back inside, leaving Thor to his thoughts.

_Be safe, my Brother,_ Thor thought.


	42. Water of sight

Loki arrived at an island called Iceland. The population there was rather sparse, secluded to small villages. The cave that housed the Waters of Sight was thankfully not located near one of the populated areas. The only sign of civilization near the cave was a tiny little wooden house near a large cliff. Loki landed next to the building and exited the small jet-pod. He made a bee-line for the small house.

He opened the door and paused. There was quite a mess inside the building, even near the entrance. Computer screens, tablets, laptops, papers, books, notes with coffee-stain rings marring them, and food wrappers were scattered _everywhere_. The different screens that Loki could see showed that they were monitoring a constant stream of readings coming from the cave. Loki picked up one of the notepads and found scribbled writing on the front and back of every page. He set the pad back down and continued deeper into the house.

Loki stepped into another room and found Eric Selvig in the center of yet another mess. His head was lying on one of the keyboards. A line of drool had dribbled down his cheek. His glasses had slipped from his nose to clatter beside his head. A loud snore escaped him, and the saliva dripped further down his cheek. Loki wrinkled his nose at the sight, but stepped forward and touched the sleeping man on the shoulder.

"Doctor?" he said in a questioning tone. When he got no response, he gave the man a small shake. "Doctor Selvig!"

The reaction was immediate. The man's eyes flew open, and he let out a surprised scream as he jerked up. Selvig slipped out of the chair he'd been sitting on and landed on his back with a hard 'thud' of sound. Papers scattered into the air, fluttering down to land around and on the wide-eyed Doctor. Loki frowned down at the man, both amused and annoyed. Selvig stared up at him, jaw dropped.

"Did I disturb you?" Loki asked in a dry tone.

"I... no... no," Selvig said with a blink, brushing a paper from the top of his head. "I... I suppose I drifted off for a bit..."

Loki glanced toward the half-empty mug that was full of cold coffee and the sandwich that only had a single bite taken from it. He looked back to the Doctor with a small huff.

"Several hours ago it seems," he said with a raised brow.

Selvig blinked and slowly sat up. He stared at Loki long enough to make him a touch nervous.

"What?" he asked finally.

"Um... wow... sorry. I haven't had any human interaction for _weeks_ now!" Selvig admitted with a weak grin.

He picked up his glasses where they had landed next to him and started cleaning them with his shirt. Loki grimaced as it probably hadn't helped. The shirt looked badly stained as it was. Selvig popped them back on regardless and beamed up at Loki.

"Just... wow!" he said happily. "Another human being. Here of all places! That's wonderful. Oh! Can I get you something? A sandwich? Coffee? Tea?"

"I'm good, Doctor Selvig," Loki said firmly.

"Oh. Alright. That's fine," Selvig looked like a disappointed puppy for a moment before his head whipped back up. "Wait! How did you get _up here_?! You either have to climb, and you don't have any gear, or you have to take a helicopter! And _that _would have woken me up!"

"Fair points," Loki conceded with a grin. "Or I could have taken a private mini-jet provided to be by Stark Industries."

"Stark? As in Tony Stark?" Selvig asked as he gingerly stood up. "He sent you? What... what does he want...?"

"No, Tony didn't send me," Loki said with a shake of his head. "Thor sent me."

"Thor?" Selvig asked with a blink. "Oh, that's nice. How is he?"

"He is... currently helping the Avengers," Loki said slowly. "They are trying to defend Earth from a killer robot that has taken over the internet. I'm not jesting either. It really is a _killer_ robot. It has already slain several people. So... yes, they are busy trying to fix that."

"I... what?" Selvig asked with a shocked blink.

Loki stared back at him with a raised brow and a stern look. An astounded Selvig stared back for several minutes. Eventually, Selvig coughed and cleared his throat.

"Well, then... I guess it's a good thing I have no internet connection up here," he said with a weak laugh. "You know, I rather thought the lack of connection was a pain at first, yeah?"

Loki's lips twitched upwards into a smirk. He had to say, it was rather amusing. Selvig cleared his throat a second time and plastered a smile on his face.

"So, why are you here, then?" Selvig asked. "How can _I_ help you?"

Loki stayed quiet for a few moments. He was trying to think of how best to reach his intended goal. Partial truths would be best.

"I am a scholar from Asgard," he said. It was true, too. "A scholar who studies sorcery."

"You're an Asgardian?" Selvig said, surprised. "Like Thor?!"

"I am," Loki said with a nod. Although... he wasn't sure himself if he was lying saying that. "You may call me Vali. However, I have taken the name of Robert since arriving on Earth. I believe that to be a more common name, yes?"

"An Asgardian," Selvig said breathily, his eyes wide. Loki almost frowned at the way the man seemed to be hung up on WHAT he supposedly was. Selvig noticed the look and smiled awkwardly. "Ah! Sorry, excuse me. It's just that the only two I've seen in the flesh have been Thor and Loki. And Loki was... well... Oh! Wait! No. I also met Thor's friends! It was only a short meeting and they... well, don't tell Thor, but they were quite rude. I'm sure they aren't a proper representation of Asgard itself thought! I'm sure you are very good, decent folks!"

Loki smirked in amusement at the Doctor's ranting. He remembered all too well how he had used the poor scientist as his little puppet. He'd even had him climb around on the top of Stark Tower to open the portal to summon... He shook his head to clear his thoughts and let out a sigh as he glanced at the ground.

"I really must apologize, Doctor Selvig. Your encounters with Asgardians overall seem to have been... most unfortunate," he glanced up, feeling the heat rise in his cheeks. "I am sorry."

"Whatever for young man? It's not as if you personally had anything to do with those encounters, yes?" Selvig said with a warm smile and a kindly expression that only caused Loki's blush to deepen. "Besides, how amazing is it that I get to be the scientist that talks to people from other worlds?! This is the sort of thing that some scientists can only dream about, and I get to see if for myself! It's... It's quite an honor."

Loki couldn't help but smile fondly back at the kindly Doctor. He was amazed by the man's kindness. He shook his head a moment later.

"I'm glad you feel that way," Loki said, before clapping his hands together. "To business then. Thor sent me here to consult with the Waters of Sight in regards to a potential outside threat that may turn its' eyes on the Earth. I should like to have your assistance in getting to the site and then would ask that you observe as I consult the Waters. It is... ill-advised to go to such a place alone."

"Yes, I remember. Thor gave me fairly clear instructions," Selvig said with a firm nod, raising his and counting off on his fingers. "Don't go in alone. If you do, don't look into the Water. Also, the worst thing you can do is make a blood sacrifice."

"I... wow," Loki said with a chuckle, pinching the bridge of his nose. "That seems like a sure-fire way to make people _want_ to do all those things."

"Oh! I wouldn't! I mean... I'd like to figure out how it works, but I don't enjoy being a victim of magic myself," he waved his hands. His expression lit up a moment later. "But you're going to do it, right? And you're going to let me observe?!"

"Indeed," Loki said with a nod. "That was the plan."

"That's Amazing!" Selvig said with a cheer and a little hop that disturbed the mess at his feet. He looked down, not at the floor but rather himself. "Oh... I should probably put on a clean shirt, shouldn't I? Can I get you something before we go? Coffee? A sandwich?"

Selvig started for another room, not seeming to care about the mess around his feet. Or the fact that he'd already asked Loki that same question once before. Loki shook his head in amusement.

"Coffee then," Loki said with a shake of his head. "But let us not dawdle for long. Thor is expecting me to return as soon as I can."

"Awww..." Selvig paused in the doorway, practically pouting. "But I have so many questions! You're basically Asgard's version of a scientist, right? Thor's never been able to answer any of the questions I've had for him. He keeps saying that there are other Asgardians better suited to answer my questions. And then... and then he never puts me into contact with any of them!"

"How rude of him," Loki said with a small chuckle. "Perhaps I can answer a few things for you another time. For now, though, I have a mission to complete."

"Alright," Selvig said with a nod before snapping his fingers. "Right! Coffee!"

He turned toward the kitchen hurriedly, and Loki shook his head. The Doctor hadn't changed his shirt. He'd have to remind him.

_After_ the coffee.

* * *

Selvig and Loki were carefully walking together through the dark cave towards the Waters, holding up flashlights to guide their way along the path. Loki let out a hum as they moved through the caverns.

"Tell me, how much do you know about the Waters of Sight?" Loki asked.

"Well, mostly, I just know what Thor was able to tell me," Selvig said with a small huff. "He said that there is a creature called a 'Norn' that lives in the Water. That these creatures are considered to be female, despite not having a 'real' form. Whoever lays eyes upon a Norn, will see it differently. It might take the shape of someone that the observer knows or take the form of someone else completely! It could even be a person that the observer will meet in the future. Can you imagine it? A Norn can show you someone you haven't even met yet! That's just incredible. Thor said that they most commonly appear as someone the observer knows, though."

Selvig paused for a moment, both to catch his breath and gather his thoughts. Loki stopped with him. After a moment, they started forward again.

"Um, let's see," Selvig said with a thoughtful hum. "The Norn is supposed to be a special creature that can peer into the past, present, and future simultaneously. And you can just ask them to show you such visions or offer a blood sacrifice to catch their attention better. They share their visions by... what was it...? Ah, linking minds, right?"

"Well," Loki started with a small wince. "That is a crude way to say it, but you are not wrong. That... sounds very much like how Thor would explain it..."

"If you stay around longer, you could explain it to me better," Selvig offered, trying not to appear too eager. Loki smirked in amusement at the scientist's blatant attempt to convince him to stay.

"A good try, Doctor Selvig, but alas, as I said earlier, I am in a bit of a hurry at the moment," Loki said with a chuckle. They took a bend in the cave, and a cool, soft blue light lit up the end of the tunnel in front of them. "Ah... that is the Norn's light. Good."

He turned off his flashlight, Selvig mimicking him a moment later. There was no more need for the man-made light given that the light of the Water's was more than enough to see by.

"Thor said... that the Norn's are as old as the Universe itself," Selvig said softly.

"That is... not _entirely _correct," Loki said carefully. "They are as old as Asgard. However, believe it or not, Asgard is _not_ as old as the Universe. Many Asgardians would like to believe otherwise, but they are fools."

"Heh," Selvig smiled and shook his head in amusement. "Funnily enough, there are people on Earth who think that our planet is not only as old as the Universe but at the very center of the Universe as well."

"On that note, Asgardians rather have the upper hand in that viewpoint. Asgard literally is at the center of the Universe," Loki said, amusement in his voice. "Although, that is by design, not accident. You have the best overall view of all of the other realms if you are positioned in the center of it all."

"That makes sense," Selvig said with a thoughtful nod. "Well, I guess it is. Doesn't that mean that the Universe really isn't 'infinite,' right? It really is a massive, expanding force?"

"Well, yes. Although it really _is _much more complicated than that," Loki said with a hesitant nod. He held up a hand to stop further questions from the other man. "I'm sorry, Doctor Selvig, but this really isn't the time to discuss the concept of Space, the Void, the Multiverse, and all the other factors that go into it."

Selvig gaped at him, mouth opening and closing rapidly. A choked noise escaped him as he visibly forced himself to not ask the questions he so desperately wanted to ask. Loki smiled faintly. The man's eyes looked like they were about ready to pop out of his head! Ah, but it was its' own kind of torture to be a scientist _denied_ the chance to ask questions.

"Another time, Doctor," Loki said softly.

"You... you'll tell me later?" Selvig asked, his voice soft and shaking as if it had taken all his strength to ask even the one question.

Loki chuckled and nodded his head. Selvig took in a hurried gasp of air and then... let out a little squee-like noise as if he were a small child promised the toy or pet they had wanted for so long. Loki let out a small huff of amusement and continued toward the Waters, Selvig trailing behind him.

It took a few more moments of walking before they reached the edge of the small lake. The Waters shone with its' own light. Silver and blue and gold and... it was like looking at a cave of crystals when a beam of sunlight hit it. Sparkly lights everywhere! Loki's smile fell away and he turned to Selvig.

"Stand back," he said softly in warning.

Selvig nodded seriously back and put a good bit of distance between them. He took out a notepad and a pen, ready to jot down anything that Loki might say. Loki nodded and slipped the pack on his shoulder to the ground. He slid a hand inside and waited for a moment before pulling his hand out. The harmless snake he'd caught earlier started to coil its' way up his arm. Selvig let out a startled noise from behind him.

"You've had that all this time?" he asked in a surprised voice, causing Loki to frown at him over his shoulder.

"To do this properly, you _need_ a blood sacrifice, even a small one," he said with a raised brow. "You even said that Thor had told you this."

"I... well... Yes," Selvig admitted slowly, nervously fidgeting. "I just didn't expect you to have a living animal in your pack."

Loki shook his head and turned away from the other male. He pulled out a sharp knife from his belt and lifted the snake up in the air as he spoke.

"Norn of the Waters of Sight, I beseech thee!" he said in a loud, ringing voice. "The Infinity Stones have begun to emerge, playing a part in shaping the events of history. I ask of thee, what is the meaning of this?"

He then swiftly cut off the snake's head, aiming the decapitated form toward the waters so that the blood was spilled into the lake itself. The snake's body twitched and spasmed painfully around his arm before going limp and falling to the ground. Loki watched it fall and then turned his attention back to the Waters...

Only to see a very tall male with bright blue skin and crimson red eyes. Loki had only seen and interacted with this individual for a short time, but he would recognize him anywhere. Why in Hel the Norn had decided to show herself as Laufey of all people was anyone's guess. But... there she was...

"Fallen Prince of Asgard," the deep voice rang through the air. "What arrogance for a Fallen Prince to come to me seeking aid."

Loki's surroundings began to change. Instead of being in a cave, he found himself surrounded by an icy landscape. The sky was darkened not by night, but with a storm. A snowstorm that tore through his clothing and hair, making a mess of both. Loki didn't react, however. He knew that none of this was real. It was all within the confines of his own mind, no matter how real the storm might feel.

"I have come here in place of Thor," Loki said, keeping his tone firm yet respectful. Just as Frigga had taught him. "I ask of thee, you who see the past, the present, and the future, why are the Infinity Stones revealing themselves? Why Earth? Indeed, I suspect that three Stones have been on Earth. Space caught in a cube. Mind transformed into a staff. The Reality Stone was even trapped within the body of a mortal woman. All found or brought to Earth over such a short period. The Stones aught to be galaxies apart from each other! So why are they appearing _here_?"

"Four," Laufey's likeness corrected, holing up four fingers. "Four of the Stones have resided here upon the Earth. Upon Midgard. The Time Stone is here as well, though it is being kept in a much less obvious place."

A cold shiver made its' way down Loki's spine. The Time Stone was also on Earth? Oh, but that did not bode well at all. Four of the Six, drawn together to one world? It could only be a sign of a coming disaster.

A baby's cry filled the air. Sharp and piercing through even the wailing of the storm around them. Loki glanced down and to the side. There was an infant, a small blue baby lying on a frozen alter. Nearby was a familiar casket. The child was screaming and flailing his small arms. Loki swallowed roughly and took a step back.

"Why have I been brought here?" he asked, barely keeping his voice level. He already knew deep down that the babe was his younger self.

"You were the one who brought us here, Fallen God of Asgard," the Norn said in a bland tone, causing Loki's head to jerk up. "Why did _you _bring _me_ here, hmm?"

"I am not here to discuss the past," Loki said firmly. "I am here to discuss the future."

"And yet you have brought the past with you," the Norn said in dry amusement. "You should ask yourself what is keeping you here in this place. Your sad origins..."

"The future!" Loki hiss in annoyance. "Show me the future!"

"Alas, you are the one binding us to the past. Still... the future you say?" Laufey's face smiled at him. A look that was decidedly out of place on the man's stern visage. "There is a funny thing you should know about the future. Unlike the past, it is not set in stone. There are countless of ways the future might change. Just look at what happened this day. A babe left to die, and yet, what happened to the babe had such great consequences for the future. Odin, tired, and worn from battle. All he wishes is to return home to his wife and child. On a whim, a single fleeting thought, he visited this alter personally rather than just sending soldiers later on. He desired not only to retrieve the casket personally but to also pray for the lost souls of Jotunheim before he returns. Chance, Fallen Prince. That's all it was that saved this babe. Mere chance. And yet that one choice changed _everything_."

As the Norn stopped talking, the landscape itself seemed to explode into a vision of stars, planets, and galaxies flying outwards in all directions. Loki was forced to cover his eyes. The noise, the rapidly flashing lights, the spinning worlds, and the whirring stars were too much. Finally, the noise died down. When he opened his eyes, he was standing on... nothing. Or at least, an invisible floor that he could no see. All around him was the vastness of Space. He looked around in recognition before looking back to the Norn. He almost started. Before him was not Laufey, but the one-eyed Odin, a raven on his shoulder.

"You've seen this view before," the Norn said with Odin's voice.

"I have. It is in a place like this that I first encountered the mad Titan; Thanos," Loki responded with a nod.

The air shimmered, and he found himself standing on a cliff. Or rather, a large asteroid with a massive stone throne upon it. The last time Loki had seen that throne, it had been occupied by Thanos himself. Loki swallowed roughly and tried to suppress a shiver of fear, but failed. He took a step back only to stumble. He looked down, eyes wide, to figure out what he had tripped over and found that he was bound by a heavy chain and manacle. It was keeping him here in this place.

The last place he wanted to be...

"I did not make the chain," the Norn said when Loki's frantic gaze flew up to meet her borrowed eyes. "You made it."

Loki hissed angrily at that and started to tug at the chain. When that did nothing, he bent down and grabbed the manacle with both hands, trying to pull it open with all of the strength available to him. It didn't budge. He was hopelessly stuck.

"Your mind has chained you to this place," the Norn said softly, taking a step closer as Gungnir appeared in her hands. Yet the Norn did nothing to help him.

"URGH!" Loki snarled as he lost his balance and fell down. He hissed at the chain. "This is _my_ mind, is it not?! Then I should be able to break this!"

"You are correct," the Norn said with a nod. "In fact, you are the only one who _can _break the chain. If you desire to regain your former powers and abilities, you must break this chain."

"How?!" Loki asked voice rising into an enraged howl. "I need my powers if we are to have any chance against Thanos!"

The noise seemingly startled the raven, who cawed angrily back and flew up to circle the air above the Norn's head. The Norn shook her head sadly.

"Even if you were to have all of your powers, then it would not be enough to fight Thanos," she said softly. Loki's head whipped around to look at her, his eyes wide. "It is a rare thing... For something to seem inevitable, unavoidable, and yet... There is an event coming. A great Disaster which overshadows all paths to come. I can see a countless number of lives disappearing in an instant. All those who remain... will despair..."

"That's... The power of the Infinity Stones would be capable of doing that," Loki said with a ragged gasp. He stood slowly, trying to ignore the chain attached to his ankle. "Why is he seeking them? Odin conquered the realms in a feeble attempt to achieve peace! Ultron is attacking to protect the Earth, twisted as his logic may be, it still makes some sense. There is always, or almost always, a _reason_! What is it that Thanos desires?"

"To save the Universe, or so he believes," the Norn said, turning to Loki. Odin's one eye suddenly looked like a vast, endless ocean. "He believes that if he kills half the Universe off, the other half will be saved. It is more than just that, however. It looks like he will succeed."

Loki's eyes were wide. His body was frozen in shock beyond the reflexive shivers of fear.

"That..." Loki breathed out in a ragged voice. "That's _insane_!"

"Is it?" a voice not the Norn's said. Loki twisted around and saw... Ebony Maw leaning against the side of the cliff. "People are fighting, but why? Because of a lack of land, food, water, and other resources. But if only half of them remained, then there would be more than enough. The people who survive would be able to rise up stronger and prouder than before!"

Loki let out a huff. Why would Ebony Maw appear in his own mind like this? The man was an annoyance.

"Who the Hel does Thanos think he is to decide such a thing?" he growled. "Does he think himself a god?"

"Oh, no," Ebony said, pushing away from the cliff wall. "He knows precisely who he is; The Savior!"

His hand lashed out to close around Loki's throat. Loki let out a choked noise. This... this did not feel like an illusion. This was...! He looked at the Norn.

"NORN!" Loki shouted frantically. "What is this?!"

"An intruder!" the Norn yelled back, taking a step away from Ebony. "Neither you nor I brought this one here!"

Loki fell silent, his eyes wide as he turned back to face Ebony. This... was not part of the vision. Ebony Maw was _actually_ there! ...fuck!

"You have been quite the pain to track down. Are you aware of that fact?" Ebony asked, head tilting slightly to the side. "Such a shame too. My sister has missed her favored toy!"

"Let me go, you cretin!" Loki snarled as he struggled against the hold on his throat.

He let out a yell and managed to kick Ebony in the stomach hard enough to knock the man back. Loki landed on his feet and turned to flee, only to trip and fall as the chain attached to his ankle drew taut.

"URGH!" he shouted and twisted about, grabbing up the chain and yanking it.

It didn't make any sense. The chain wasn't real! How was it still affecting him like this?! The only things that were real here were Loki, the Norn... and Ebony Maw. Ebony chuckled and shook his head as he walked toward Loki's fallen form.

"Trapped in your own mind Godling? How pathetic," he asked before kicking Loki in the side of the head. Loki fell, clutching at his head and snarling. Ebony knelt next to him, a wide smile on his face. "How far you have fallen. I will admit, when we first met, you were quite formidable. You might have even proven worthy of becoming one of our siblings if Thanos had only found you sooner. But look at you..."

Ebony Maw sniffed derisively, looking Loki over with disgust on his face.

"You're basically a human now," Ebony continued, shaking his head. "Pathetic."

"I am no mere human!" Loki snarled back, reaching out for the chain and wrenching at it once more. He pulled with all his might, but the chain still didn't move.

"Ha...hahaha... hahahahah!" Ebony laughed, tilting his head back and running his fingers through his thin white hair. "This is too easy! You're doing all the work for me by keeping yourself bound!"

"Shut up!" Loki howled at the other man. "SHUT UP! Norn! Let me out! Let me out now!"

The Norn stepped back, and the illusion shattered around them like a broken mirror. Loki almost breathed a sigh of relief at the sight of the cave, only to freeze in shock. Selvig was unconscious and slumped against the far wall. There was a bruise near the man's temple. Loki slowly looked to the side, briefly taking in the Waters' silvery light before his gaze landed on Ebony Maw. A very real, not-an-illusion, Ebony Maw. And the bastard was still grinning at him.

Loki let out an enraged hiss and pushed himself to his knees. He swiftly picked up his knife, still coated and dripping with the snake's blood, and lunged at the grey-skinned male. Ebony Maw grinned as he caught Loki's arm and tossed him to the side.

"So slow!" he said in a cheery, conversational tone. "You used to be a lot faster."

Loki landed roughly, chin clipping against the ground and causing his teeth to close on his tongue hard enough to draw blood. He pushed himself back to his feet with a sneer. Again he lunged toward Ebony only to be blocked. He kicked at Ebony's side, only for the other man to artfully dodge to the side, arms behind his back. Loki grinned in triumph at the other man falling for his feint and buried his blade into the man's neck...

Or, rather, the knife _would have_ struck a killing blow, had Ebony not moved his head and upper body just enough so that the blade was buried into his shoulder instead. Rather than make a noise of pain, Ebony shifted his head to look at Loki, his eyes darkening in anger. An annoyed sneer twisted his lips downward. Loki grinned cockily, spitting out a mouthful of blood.

"Who's slow now?" he asked, shifting to pull the blade out and try for another blow...

Only he didn't get the chance to. Ebony held out his hand, and Loki's eyes widened as a telekinetic force coiled around him and lifted him into the air. Ebony grinned coldly and lifted Loki higher still.

"Who is the slow one? Why, you are," Ebony said with a small 'tsk' of sound. "You missed your target. Had you still been at full strength, you wouldn't have missed my jugular. Pitiful really. You've become soft, little Godling. Did you really think you had even the slightest chance against me, reduced in power as you are now?"

Loki let out a frustrated hiss as he tried to struggle against that magical hold. Sadly, he was unable to move. His limbs were trapped in the spell. He looked upwards.

"Heimdal! HEIMDAL!?" he yelled loudly. "Heimdal! Call Thor! HEIMDAL?!"

Loki's eyes widened. His body trembled. There was no response from the All-Seer. Nothing but a silence so complete that dread filled Loki like a leaden weight. Ebony grinned and chuckled softly, looking at his nails in a bored manner.

"Oh, do you mean to call upon the one whose gaze has been upon you all this time?" he asked with a chuckle. He held up a small object, what looked to be a round, mechanical-like device. "I am afraid he cannot see you right now. I brought you a little gift. Do you like it? It shields you from the All-Seer's gaze!"

Loki's head twisted back down to stare at Ebony in shock and horror. Ebony Maw smiled back at him coldly.

"Oh yes, little Godling," he purred. "You are utterly alone."

Loki gasped frantically for breath, his body shaking wildly. His heart pounded in his head as Ebony gestured, causing Loki to drift slowly closer to the other man. Loki hissed, pulling together as much of his will as he could. He managed to move one arm and point it in Ebony's direction.

"Glacies_ Igna thram! Hjalmark ES!_" Loki shouted the words meant to activate powerful spells. Nothing happened. Not a single spark or flicker. He struggled wildly as he drew closer and closer to the other man, managing to get his other hand free. "_Lokram etla elysia!_"

Again, nothing happened. And it seemed that Ebony was done with his attempts to fight back. Loki's arms were wrenched back down to his sides. Ebony was now only an inch away from him. And he was _smirking_.

"No one is coming to save you, little Godling," he said with a shake of his head and a small 'tut' sound. "Not only that, but you cannot even save yourself. Not just alone, but pathetic to boot. How sad."

Loki snarled as Ebony reached for him. He made to bite the other man, only to have Ebony's hand twist out of the way to close around his throat. The telekinetic spell faded, Loki's feet touching the ground, and he started to struggle. It was no use. Ebony slowly and forcefully pushed him down to his knees. He held up the little object, the device that supposedly shielded him from Heimdal's sight, and slammed it against the bared portion of Loki's neck.

The device whirred and _opened_, attaching itself to Loki's neck. Wires the size of sewing thread, perhaps smaller still, pierced his skin and started to dig into his body. Not just at his neck, but all over. Agony filled him as those threads spread through _every inch of his body,_ and he screamed as Ebony dropped him to the ground.

"Well... this is disappointing," Ebony Maw said with a small sigh as he leaned forward to look Loki over. "You've been through worse than this. You didn't scream _then_."

The pain finally stopped. Loki was left gasping for air, sweat dripping from his face as he braced himself on all fours. He had to keep himself from falling over. He _had_ to! He wouldn't give the bastard the pleasure of seeing him pass out. Slowly, painfully, he looked up at Ebony, rage burning in his green eyes.

"I hope you savored that," Loki said coldly. "It shall not happen again!"

He leaped up and forward, hand closing around the knife still buried in Ebony's shoulder. He pulled it out and let out a yell as he attempted to slash the other man's throat open. Ebony let out a bark of laughter and stepped aside, dodging the blow. His hand lashed out, catching Loki in the throat and forcing him back with a choked noise. A flick of his fingers and a spell forced the knife from Loki's hand. The blade twisted in the air, launched forward, and stopped against Loki's neck. Loki froze.

"You failed us," Ebony said, tone bland as if discussing the weather. "Father is not pleased. Not in the slightest. Not only did you fail in your task, but you also betrayed his trust. You were even so rude as to fail to return the scepter we leant you! Quite rude of you!"

Loki's only reply was an angry, cat-like hiss.

"Ah, well. At least my sister will be pleased in my returning her favorite toy to her," Ebony said with a small sigh.

Loki straightened his shoulders and closed his eyes, mindful of the blade at his throat. The knife dug warningly into his skin, but he didn't flinch. He refused to show any further weakness to this _bastard_. He would not tremble, or cry, or scream or beg.

"Consider this a warning, Ebony Maw," Loki said, his voice proud and confident. "This will not end well for you. One day, I _will_ have my revenge. I will kill you. _All_ of you."

"You?!" Ebony said with a laugh. "You are, at best, a Fallen God. You can do _nothing_. Still, it will be entertaining to watch you try."

"Thanos is no god," Loki responded, opening his eyes. The green orbs almost glowed thanks to the reflective light of the Waters. "He can be killed. _You_ can be killed. And believe me, Ebony, I am going to make damn sure that I will be the one to end him."

"Foolish Godling," Ebony said with a wide smile as he stepped closer to Loki. "Do remember that I had a nice little jaunt in your mind. You never _left_ Thanos' prison. You have, and always will be, our prisoner. In mind... and now again in body."

Loki did the only thing he could do, he stood there, staring at Ebony Maw. He refused to show weakness. Not now. He would not give Ebony or the others the satisfaction. His chest tightened. He had to suppress his fear, the overwhelming sense of helplessness. Thor... Thor was counting on him. Not just Thor, but the rest of the Avengers too. But... he wasn't going to be able to return to them. They would be waiting... for nothing.

_I'm sorry_, he thought briefly, mournfully, before shoving even that emotion down.

* * *

_Edited by Arei-The Peridot Dragon_


	43. In the fire

Thor wasn't really sure he was following his friend's logic as Tony explained his plan. Friend Stark had decided that in order to stop the murderous robot, which he had accidentally created with the mind staff, he would purposefully create a second robot with that very same staff. Or rather the stone that had powered the staff.

Now, Thor was very familiar with the phrase 'fight fire with fire,' but in this case... he just couldn't understand his friend's reasoning. Wouldn't creating a second robot merely add fuel to the metaphorical fire in this case? Still, Thor stood by, ready to assist if the new creation turned out to be just as dangerous as the first.

It was the only real plan they had.

And... nothing bad happened. The newly 'born' robot was nothing like its'... his?... 'brother.' Which was good news. In fact, the robot was very curious and had an innocent air to him. He moved around the area, touching objects with a careful yet intrigued air. His head would tilt this way and that. He'd even smile in excitement when touching buttons or flipping light switches. He seemed harmless enough, this... Vision as he called himself. Thor was watching over the newly made being when a voice echoed softly in his mind.

"Thor? My Prince, may I have a word?" it was Heimdal. Thor nodded his head and turned to the others.

"Excuse me, my friends, I need to... take a call," he said, causing everyone to look at him in confusion.

"Uh, dude, hate to break it to you, but," Tony waved his hand at Thor in an up and down motion. "I don't see a cellphone on you. You need a better excuse if you want to bail on us."

"No, it's," Thor shook his head and tapped a finger against his temple. "You know us Space Vikings. Mystical magic and all. Communications are transmitted right into our heads."

"Huh... neat," Tony blinked at him and then looked thoughtful. "Maybe I should look into that..."

"Tony..." Bruce said in exasperation.

"Right! Later," Tony turned back to Vision. "Soo..."

"Excuse me," Thor said with a small bow of his head to the others and walked out to the empty hallway. "What is it, Heimdal?"

"I have lost sight of Loki," Heimdal said in a grim tone.

"You... what?" he asked with a stunned blink. It took him a moment to comprehend the All-Seer's words.

"Loki met with Doctor Selvig, as he said he would," Heimdal said. "Together, they entered the cave where the Water of Sight and the Norn reside. Loki performed the ceremony as planned and went into a trance while Selvig observed. From what I could tell, all was going according to plan... however."

Thor braced himself unconsciously.

"All of a sudden, something blocked my ability to see into the cave," Heimdal continued, a contrite tone ringing through his voice. "I kept my gaze locked on the cave, but I could see nothing within it. It was as if there was static interfering with my Sight. When I could See again, Loki was gone, and Doctor Selvig was on the ground, unconscious."

Thor's hands clenched into fists. He felt frozen in time. He couldn't even force himself to breathe. To think. Heimdal's voice brought him back to himself, and he shook his head.

"Thor?" Heimdal asked, concern in his voice. "My Prince?"

"How...?" Thor said, finally taking in a ragged breath. "_Why_?!"

"I do not know," Heimdal responded sadly.

"Where is Loki now?" Thor asked, mind racing.

"I do not know," Heimdal repeated.

"Why... why would he do this?" Thor asked, swallowing roughly.

A long stretch of silence filled the air.

"I do not know," Heimdal repeated for the third time, and Thor could almost see the All-Seer bowing his head in sorrow.

Thor closed his eyes. His heart ached. He had well and truly believed that he and Loki were making progress. Great progress no less! Loki was fighting with them. Helping them. Ready to take the next step! They had been so close... or so he had thought. Did Loki really take this an opportunity to flee? It made little sense. And yet...

"What of Doctor Selvig?" Thor asked, concerned for the kindly, if somewhat crazy, scientist. "How...? Erhm..."

"I took the liberty of sending an Asgardian healer to the area to heal him of his injuries," Heimdal said in a kindly tone. "He seems to be recovering speedily... and questioning the healer non-stop now that he is awake."

"That's good, at least," Thor said with a small snort of amusement. He let out a worried sigh. "Please keep me updated, and... please keep looking for Loki. When you find him, notify me immediately. Please. I... I would like to hear Loki's explanation for this from his own mouth. Before Odin or anyone else demands that he be punished. Something seems off about this..."

"I shall do as you ask, my Prince," Heimdal said. "And I concur. Something is not right about his disappearance. Loki looked as if he was finally ready to talk to you. I was convinced of this just as much as you. To run away like this? It makes little sense."

"Perhaps... perhaps he has a plan?" Thor said with a weak, yet hopeful smile. "He is always plotting and planning. Perhaps he learned something from the Norn that demanded this course of action?"

It was a small hope, but one that he could not help but nurture. Part of him knew that it was a far-fetched idea, especially considering how Selvig was left behind, but...

"He was ready," Thor said softly, firmly. "I know he was ready to prove to himself that he is worthy. Heimdal. I know it! He was ready to at least _try_!"

"I know Thor," Heimdal said in a soft, agreeing tone. "However, it is as I told you before. This is Loki's path to walk. No other. It is up to him to decide on what path he will take. Loki has always had the potential to do well, to be a hero to be remembered in eternal song. But he has likewise also had the potential to fail, and fail badly. It is his choices that will determine his path. I will continue to look for him and pray that he remains safe and in his right mind. Do what you must do on your end, my Prince. I see that you have your hands quite full at the moment."

"Aye. Earth requires my aid at this time," Thor said with a firm nod. "I shall do my part to help resolve this as quickly as possible. Afterward... I shall look for Loki myself."

"I had suspected as much, my Prince," Heimdal said softly. "I shall continue to search the Earth for Loki. The moment I find him, I will contact you and no one else."

"Thank you, my friend," Thor said with a relieved smile. "Please send my regards to Doctor Selvig and that I hope he heals swiftly. Let him know that I am sorry about the incident and will visit him soon."

"As you wish, my Prince," he said.

The connection was broken a moment later. Thor's smile faded into a worried frown. His shoulders slumped tiredly.

"Bad news from home?" Steve asked, joining Thor in the hallway and making the blonde Asgardian start.

"I... sent Loki on a mission," Thor said, relaxing and letting out a heavy sigh. "He... has gone missing."

Steve frowned and then nodded his head, his expression grim.

"He somehow managed to escape the All-Seer's gaze," Thor continued. "A feat that should be all but impossible. Without his magic? This shouldn't have happened."

Again, Steve remained silent, simply nodding his head and putting his hand to his chin thoughtfully.

"We... we do not know where he is gone. He's just... gone," Thor said, his voice sorrowful. He swallowed roughly and looked at Steve helplessly. "What should I do, Friend Rogers?"

Steve glanced at the ground. He looked back up, his eyes stern.

"Focus on your mission," he said firmly. "Until you know the full circumstances around Loki's disappearance, continue to believe in him. Believe that, wherever he is, that he is doing what is right. When he is found? _Listen_ to him. Listen to his explanation, look at the proof that he and anyone else provides you, and _after that_, make your decision."

Steve stepped closer and clapped Thor on the shoulder, raising a finger.

"We have a standard here in the U.S., 'innocent until proven guilty,'" he said gently. "So, until you have the proof you need, he is innocent."

"I... Thank you," Thor said with a nod. "I shall do just that. I appreciate your advice, my friend."

"Not a problem," Steve said with a gentle smile. "I'm glad I could help."

* * *

Elsewhere...

"How pitiful," Thanos said with a heavy sigh and a shake of his head. "Even I would not be so cruel to my children as what was done to you. To make them less? To reduce them to this? No. All I have done, and will ever do, is strive to make them stronger. Every single one of them."

Loki remained silent. He was hunched over, having been forced to his knees with his hands shackled behind his back. The cursed device on his neck whirring softly as it did its' intended job, to block him from the All-Seer's Sight. This wasn't a new experience for him. He'd been in a similar position before, trapped and alone in the grasp of the Mad Titan and his so-called children. He had to remain strong. He could not submit. He would escape and have his revenge.

"HAHAHAHAHA!"

Howling laughter filled the air, and Loki almost sneered as he glanced out of the corner of his eye at the source. The being making the racket was a vile creature with white-gray skin, a sharp chin, and razor-pointed teeth. A creature that went by the name of Corvus Glaive.

"A being born of Jotunheim and raised by Asgard, the two _greatest_ warrior races this universe has ever seen, and _this _is what has become of you?" the male asked, slamming his hand against the arm of his own chair as he laughed. "Oh, oh, but this is too funny. A truly pitiful end!"

Loki fumed from his spot, but remained silent.

"Hush darling," a woman said. Loki glanced over and saw that it was Proxima Midnight. An alien woman with pale skin and long blue hair. Corvus' wife. "We shouldn't be rude to our guest."

Loki refrained from sneering. He knew that all of Thanos' children were adopted, and thus not blood-related. Hel, not one of them were the same species. Still, marrying your sibling, even an adopted sibling, didn't sit well with him. It felt wrong.

"It's a shame really," said the largest of the group gathered. Cull. "If I were to hit him now, he would break far too quickly."

"Indeed. It is sad," Ebony said with a smile, raising a hand. Several needles appeared to float around his hand. "I believe more... delicate... means of torture are needed now."

"Oh, Daddy," Nebula said with a twisted half-smile that didn't reach her eyes. "Can I play with him now?"

Loki looked up abruptly, daring to raise his head. He was used to their taunts. Their deadly humor... and there was a voice missing. He glanced around with a frown.

"Did you lose one?" he asked in a dry tone. "Where's the green one?"

It was a rather obvious thing, it was a wonder that he hadn't noticed sooner. The last time he had seen the green-skinned woman, she had seemed like the only one of the lot to not come across as some dark, twisted version of a humanoid conscience that took pleasure in another's pain. She had looked as if she were above it all. Bored even. Her missing presence was undeniable.

At his words, something changed in the room. A tension that was stifling. Angry even. Loki dared to look at Thanos and saw that the Titan had frozen, his fingers closing into a tight fist that turned his knuckles a pale purple. Something _had_ happened. But what...? Thanos' voice drew him from his thoughts.

"Indeed, my child," Thanos said with a nod to Nebula. "He is all yours. Just make sure that his suffering will be long and painful."

He leaned forward in his chair, bracing his chin on his hand. He looked down at Loki, eyes dark and cold.

"I believe that I made you a promise, didn't I?" he said in a low voice. "And I _never_ break my promises. You will yearn, little godling, for the days beforehand. Before you _failed_ me so completely. Eventually, you will wish for death. You will _beg _me to end it. To end you. But... you will not be allowed to die. Even as you beg and plead, you will suffer... but you will live. That is my command. Understood, my children?"

The group nodded as one, bowing their heads to their 'father.' Loki sneered, his eyes burning with an internal fire. With his defiance. His body shook with his rage.

"You shouldn't play with forces you cannot control," Loki said through grit teeth. "One day, I will have my revenge. You will pay dearly for this, Thanos. Everything you love, you will lose. And then? Then you _will_ die. This, I promise to _you_."

Thanos barely took notice of his words. Even as Loki issued his threat, his promise, Thanos was standing up from his throne and waving his hand dismissively. He left Loki behind to face the ire of his children, all of whom were looking at him with blood-lust in their eyes. Eyes that shone in the darkness of the void surrounding them.

"You want a piece of me then?" Loki said with a sneer, straightening his body to stand proud. "Go on then. Enjoy it while it lasts!"

The mismatched brood that made up Thanos' children stared back at him, grinning widely. They were predators encircling and trapping their helpless prey. Doing their best to look as intimidating and threatening as possible. He lifted his chin and glared back at them defiantly, but it didn't help. They could see right through his mask. There was nothing he could do to truly defend himself.

They all knew it...


	44. Defiance

Underground, on a cold, dark asteroid floating through space, a man could be found in an equally cold cell. The man was chained to the wall of his cell. Perhaps overly so. There were chains wrapped around his wrists, his ankles, even his neck. Not that it was needed at this point. His entire body was riddled with bruises and the clear marks of long-term abuse. Really, it was quite a _lovely_ collection of cuts, burns, black and blue bruising interspaced with more nasty looking green-yellow half-healed bruises.

_Well, Tony, _Loki thought to himself with a faint chuckle. _You made fun of me once for not having any scars. How do they look? Better than yours, I bet._

On top of it all were the dozens of small holes riddling his person. Loki was not only Nebula's favorite 'toy,' but he had also become Ebony Maw's personal pin cushion. He dreaded the sessions with the pale-skinned alien. The last one had been particularly bad...

_"A living body is such a curious thing," Ebony said as he bound Loki to a table using only his mind. Several long, black needles floated in the air above his head. "If you know where to strike, the pain can be worse than the harshest of blows."_

_ A needle floated slowly through the air. In by slow inch, it floated closer to Loki's face until it came to a stop a millimeter from Loki's right eye. Loki bared his teeth at the alien but didn't move._

_"A good thing too, now that we are not allowed to kill you," Ebony said with a small sigh. "We'll have to make do with just the pain."_

_The needle before him had been a distraction. Another needle, far more narrow, abruptly dug deep into the side of Loki's skull. A white-hot sensation of pain flared throughout his entire body. Loki's body spasmed from the pain, and he panted heavily for breath. Ebony smiled down at him smugly. _

_"You shall scream for me yet, Goding. Yes... oh, how sweetly you will scream," the alien purred. _

Loki shook his head to clear his thoughts. He'd gone through a number of those sessions now. Some of them lasted for hours at a time. Other sessions seemed to last for days. Really, it was hard to tell how long he had been trapped here as there was no day-cycle for him to judge time by. Still... Loki was proud of himself.

He had yet to scream even now.

In those precious few moments that Loki had to himself, he would sometimes reflect on the past. He was so far away from Earth now, and the problems he had faced before all seemed so distant. He had no idea what was happening there. How had things gone with Ultron? Were the Avenger's dead? Alive and victorious? Alive but still fighting? Was Ultron dead or otherwise contained? He had no way of knowing. Not now.

And what was Thor up to? If they had indeed defeated Ultron, then Loki knew that Thor would be looking for him. There was no doubting that. And what of Heimdal? What did the All-Seer think of his disappearance? He was probably still baffled, trying to figure out _how_ Loki had escaped his sight so thoroughly. Heimdal would be looking for him even now. All across the Earth...

Which was part of the problem. It probably wouldn't occur to either Thor or Heimdal that Loki wasn't even _on_ Earth anymore. Loki knew how things would look to the pair. It would look like he had been given an opportunity to flee and taken it without a second thought. Things... looked bad. Even if he had a way to contact Thor or any of the others, how could he explain himself to them? Would they even listen to him...?

No. Loki was alone. Just like back then... and even before that. He was alone as he always had been.

Alone... and in possession of horrible knowledge. Half of the Universe was in danger. The true stakes in the battle ahead had been revealed to him. Half of Asgard. Half of Earth. Half of all life. Who would die? Who would be left behind to mourn those lost? The worst lottery in all of history. Thor wasn't safe. Even Odin All-Father wasn't safe. And Loki?

He had to escape. If he stayed here, death was a certainty, regardless of what Thanos might say, Loki would die. But... only after his body and spirit were broken to the point of being unrecognizable.

Despite all the chain's binding Loki to his prison, he was allowed enough room to sit on the floor. As before, no bed had been offered to him. He was barely watered and only received the driest, dullest food to keep him alive. Occasionally he would get scraps of food fit for a dog if the Children were feeling generous.

Sadly, most of the time, Loki wasn't even granted that much. He would usually be given half-rotten food, sometimes with a 'garnish' of maggots. Hel, sometimes he didn't even get water. The bowl would occasionally be filled with vinegar or some other horrid substance. It was as if they were mocking him. Saying that 'we _could_ give you real food, but we won't.'

Mocking... as if. Even those scraps were good enough offerings for Loki because he meant to survive this. If he could eat and drink, then he would _live_.

Vinegar, while foul, had some nutrients in it. And most kinds of vinegar were high in water content, usually ninety percent or more. It wasn't a good idea to drink it long term, but he would swallow it down.

The maggots? A welcome change in his diet compared to stale bread. They were his only true source of protein. He could stomach maggots in the name of survival. Hel, once they had served him a bucket filled to the brim with cockroaches and spoiled food. A veritable feast! Loki had eaten every last one of the roaches.

He was _not_ going to die in this measly place so far away from all that he knew. He refused to give them the pleasure of his death.

He _refused_ to give them that satisfaction.

Loki was drawn from his thoughts by a soft noise. He turned his gaze away from his bared torso, having been in the process of idly counting the proudly displayed marks covering his skin, and peaked out through the curtain of his hair. Nebula had sat down in front of him, her head tilted like a curious dog. Her black eyes stared at him.

"Yeah... I'm not dead yet," Loki said in a dry, crackling voice. "So... what's the next game you want to play, hm? Are you going to pull out my tongue? I'd bleed out. 'Course, you could always sew my mouth shut. Maybe cut off my toes or fingers one by one? Ah, no. Again, you'd risk me dying too fast doing that. Gouge my eyes out? Wait... no, your _brother_ likes to make me _see_ my 'punishments' coming, doesn't he? Might I suggest stabbing me in the spleen again? That was certainly painful. Or drip acid on my face, _again_? Perhaps you'll try something new, hm? You have yet to pull out my teeth. Or you could also just get it over with already."

Nebula shook her head slowly at that. Her head then tilted in the opposite direction.

"You won't die," she said in a breathy tone. "Not before..."

"Oh?" Loki lifted his head a little further, green eyes almost shining through the dirty strands of his hair. "Not before...?"

"Do you know what I like about you?" Nebula asked, not continuing her earlier line of thought. "What makes you the best toy I've ever had?"

"I do not," Loki said with a smirk. "Do, please, inform me of why I am so special."

"That look in your eyes," Nebula said breathily, leaning forward almost eagerly. Oddly disturbing that... "That pride and stubbornness. The defiance! It hasn't gone away. Not for a single moment. Even though you are so weak and defenseless right now, you still hold onto your stubborn pride. You... you must be the most arrogant person that I have ever met."

"I..." Loki chuckled, still smirking. "Is that a compliment?"

"It... makes me _feel,_" she said, ignoring his question. "And I never feel anything. It makes me want to know just how far I need to go before I can break it. Break you. I... I am both eagerly awaiting that day and... and _dreading_ it. How strange is that? For when that day arrives, my fun will be over. You... will be no fun anymore."

"Well then," Loki said with a coughing laugh. "Perhaps this will both frustrate and delight you. I shall _never_ break. Not like that. I refuse."

Nebula looked at him, head tilting back and forth slowly. She leaned forward, almost as if to touch his face and... a smile tugged at her lips. Loki drew himself up and pulled out of her reach.

"I will not bend. I will not break," Loki said firmly. "I did not break for the man who claimed to be my father, the man who raised me. I did not bend to the man who insists that he is my brother, who I grew up next to. As such, I will not bend to a mad titan like Thanos. Honestly, I am surprised that _you_ would bend and break so easily..."

Nebula blinked at him and lowered her hand.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"You still bow to him, suck up to him, do your best to please him," Loki said with a scoff. "After everything he's done...? Tell me, how was it growing up under his thumb? Always standing in the shadow of your dear sister? Your so-called _father_ proclaimed to all that you had equal worth to her. He even went so far as to have the pair of you compete against each other. But you know better, don't you? You never stood a chance against her. He made you fight her just so that you could see that you would never measure up to her. That _she_ would always be his favorite. He put before you an unbeatable challenge, all for his own amusement."

Nebula jerked back at his words. Anger flashed through her otherwise dead eyes. An emotion that he'd seen her occasionally turn on her sister. On Gamora.

"Shut up," she said. Hissed really.

"You were never going to be better than her. Or even as good as her," Loki continued viciously. "You were and are nothing more than her stepping stool. You bend over backward for this man, and yet he gives _her_ all of his love. Even now, when she has _run away,_ he loves her. Focus's his attentions on _her_, even though you have remained loyally at his side!"

"I said, _shut up_!" Nebula roared, throwing herself forward and grabbing Loki by the throat. She forced him harshly to the ground, and yet... he chuckled at her.

"It should have been you," he said in a strained voice. "You know that, right? You've been the most loyal. You've been the only one offering him your undivided love. You would do _anything_ to win his respect, wouldn't you? You would kill your best friend, even one of your siblings, without hesitation. That's how loyal you are. You are the one... the one he should given his admiration. His Love. His adoration. You _deserve _it. And yet, she was the one he chose. Why? What does she have that you do not? Why her?"

Nebula swallowed roughly. With her pinning him to the ground, he could feel her body trembling with anger and sorrow. Her eyes... her dead eyes actually started to mist up. She leaned back, sitting on him but still holding his throat. He reached up and, very carefully, touched her wrists with his fingertips.

"Am I wrong...?" Loki asked in a soft voice.

"I know who you are," she said, eyes flaring with rage. She bared her teeth at him. "You are a god of _lies_! You use your tongue to turn friend into foe. I shall not fall for your _tricks_."

"Well, that's fair," Loki said with a small shrug. His touch against her hand grew more firm. "But... tell me, am I wrong? Was anything I just said a lie?"

Nebula swallowed roughly, opening her mouth to shout at him... but nothing came from her. Her mouth closed slowly. Eventually, her hands fell away from his throat, and she sat back on his lap. She shifted off of him a moment later and leaned against the cell wall. Her eyes looked confused.

"You... are truly a sad creature, Nebula," Loki said softly.

"I don't need your pity," she hissed, turning angry, confused eyes his way.

"That's fine. You don't have it," Loki said with a smirk as he sat up. He wrapped his arms around his legs. "You've told me, again and again, that you like seeing others in pain because you can no longer feel pain yourself. And now, you tell me that you like my defiance. Is that perhaps, because it is another feature that you lack?

Nebula's eyes narrowed on him. After a few moments of staring, she turned away from him to stare at the cell door.

"There's an easy way to gain that," Loki said softly. "Defiance. Just... stop groveling at Thanos' feet. Defy the fate he has dictated for you."

Nebula turned back to him, a dark look in her eyes.

"Do not act like you know me," she said with a warning hiss, leaning forward threateningly.

"I'm not," Loki said, raising a hand. "All I am saying is this; All of my life was centered around one thing... trying to win Odin's favor. However, that was impossible. Thor would _always_ win. So... I changed the thing my life revolves around. Rather than trying, pointlessly, to win his favor, I strove to do everything I could to _defy his will_. Every single step of the way. And let me tell you this, Nebula, it is oh so satisfying. Because now? Now my life is my own. I can pride myself in _never_ losing the look in my eyes that you seem to adore so much."

Nebula still looked angry, but she was slumping back against the wall. He was getting through to her.

"Would you answer something for me, Nebula? Who does your life belong to?" he asked in a soft voice. "Thanos? Or yourself?"

"Thanos! Always!" Nebula answered without hesitation.

"I see," Loki nodded his head, his expression serious. "And that is why you are always going to lose."

Nebula growled softly and stood. She made to step toward him and then stopped. She took a step back and then turned away with a shake of her head, leaving Loki to his solitude. He ducked his head down, letting his hair hide his face as he smirked. He had her.

* * *

This place might have no sun, no moon, and thus no day and night cycle to tell time. Loki had no idea how long he had been trapped there, as the Children and Beasts inhabiting this place would visit whenever it suited them... but Nebula? Nebula would not allow them to kill him. Not just because Thanos had ordered it, but because she was determined to find a way to break him.

And yet... it didn't happen.

Hours, days, months... perhaps even years passed. No matter what Nebula did, he did not break. She broke his fingers one by one, allowing them to heal just enough that breaking them again would be agony. She cast him out into the cold vastness of space for thirty hours. No food, no water, just air to breathe. When she drew him back in, she subjected him to intense heat. A stark, painful contrast to the cold. To complete the act, she left a large burn mark on his body and shoved hot coals against his throat.

Later, she allowed venomous snakes to bite him, leaving him to suffer delirium and fever caused by the venom. She had spider-like creatures, with twelve legs rather than the usual eight, crawl into his ear. She never told him what they were doing, allowing Loki to imagine the worst.

He had to admit, they were very creative, these Children of Thanos.

Cutting, freezing, stabbed with needles, beaten, burned, starved... and then healed just enough to let them start the whole circus all over again.

And yet, Loki still didn't give in.

Whenever there was a break, and Nebula was with him alone, Loki would talk. Nebula wouldn't always reply to him, but slowly, ever so slowly, they started to have _actual_ conversations. At first, they were only short conversations, but they lasted longer and longer. They talked about anything that came to mind.

They talked about his relationship with Thor and Odin, but it was obvious that Loki was really talking about her own relationship with Gamora and Thanos. They talked about other planets and the societies that developed on them. How silly some of them were. They discussed different clever ways of killing their enemies. One day, Nebula even laughed at one of Loki's morbid jokes. They would talk about the nature of Space itself. About the concepts of captivity versus freedom.

Their conversations bounced wildly back and forth when it came to subject matter. It became a rather odd relationship. One hour, Nebula would be pulling out Loki's fingernails, and the next, they would be having a deep conversation about the nature of life and death. About the vastness of the Universe. About being the unwanted, adopted child...

At one point, Nebula grew curious. She started to move over Loki seductively, touching him lightly and even kissing him just to see what would happen. What _she_ would feel. Loki would remain unresponsive during those times, his face blank. Nebula was disappointed when she felt nothing despite her efforts. One day, after a long session spent breaking Loki's collar bone, she stroked his face lightly with her fingertips. She let out a disappointed sigh.

"I... I find myself missing your real face," she said when he raised a brow at her. "This one is so... _dull_."

"Agreed," Loki admitted with a pained laugh. "That's how I designed it. It made it easier for me to blend in, which was what I needed most at the time."

"You kept your eyes, though," Nebula pointed out, one finger tracing next to his eye. "I... am relieved you kept them."

"Of course I did," Loki responded with a smirk. "I couldn't let all of me be hidden away."

Nebula looked over the line of Loki's body. His shoulder was currently dislocated. He had a cut running down his torso, blood pouring freely from the wound. Nebula teased a finger over the cut and then shoved the finger into the wound. Loki let out a pained hiss.

"The pain... how is it?" Nebula asked, shifting her finger about.

"Some... some would call it unbearable," he said through gritted teeth. He smirked at her. "I'll just say it like it is; it feels like someone is sticking a finger into my open wound."

His words actually made Nebula snort in amusement. She pulled her finger out and looked it over briefly before sticking it into her mouth. She cleaned the digit of blood. After a moment, she let out a sigh and bent down to rest her face against Loki's open wound. She nuzzled at the injury, blood smearing over her cheek.

"I long so to see the outcome of this... to see you break," she said softly, "and yet I do not ever wish it to end. How much are you suffering, Loki? How much does it hurt you?"

"My despair is beyond measure," Loki said with a small snort. "It feels like the flames of Surtur are burning in my veins. Each breath feels like a stab to the chest. Each word makes my throat feel as if it is about to explode. My mind is screaming for water. My heart is begging for it to end."

Nebula shivered against him, fingertips teasing over his wounded chest. She lifted her head, meeting his fiery gaze. She purred at him.

"And yet... your eyes have not lost even a shred of your defiance," she said. She crawled up onto him, pressing against his torso. Her lips once more pressed against his, but he remained unresponsive. "Oh, this pain of yours... I want more."

"I am your toy, am I not?" Loki asked softly. Nebula let out a heavy sigh, coiling some of his hair around her finger and tugging roughly.

"Have I been a good girl, daddy?" she asked softly, more to herself than to Loki, or even the absent titan. "No... no. I've been bad. My toy is making me think bad thoughts..."

Her eyes focused again on his own.

"I should kill you," she said softly.

"Yes," Loki said, agreeing with her. "You really should."

"But... then it would end," Nebula pointed out, giving his hair another harsh tug. "And I would never know the outcome. You're evil. Oh so evil."

Loki grinned at her, his green eyes glistening in the dark. He was one step closer to his goal.

* * *

Loki truly did not know how much time had passed. How many times his body had been broken and mended. He had dedicated his focus to one person and one person only. Nebula was his escape route. She was the weakest point in this fortress.

Finally... finally the day came when she opened the cell and undid his bindings.

"I... am going to do something bad," she said to him as she freed him. "Father won't be pleased, but my hatred is strong. I desire... to be _defiant_."

"Oh?" Loki asked softly as she pulled him to his feet. "What is it that you want to do?"

"My sister... I want to... no, I _will_ kill her," Nebula said firmly. "And you... you will join me."

"Why is that?" Loki asked, honestly curious.

"It... is possible that Father won't forgive me. He might not forgive me for killing his _favorite_," she said softly, bitterly as she stepped away and tilted her head at him. "I... wouldn't be able to come back. To see how you end up. So... you'll come with me. So I can watch you. I don't want to miss it when you finally break."

Loki smirked. He ignored his broken wrist, his swollen foot, and started for the door. He paused and bowed, perhaps mockingly, perhaps seriously and waved her for the door. She needed to lead the way to their escape...

"Sounds like fun!" he said as she moved past him.

* * *

_This chapter has been edited by Arei-The Peridot Dragon_


	45. A place called earth

It probably shouldn't be too big of a surprise that Loki had been placed in the back of Nebula's small spacecraft with an electronic collar locked around his neck. The damned thing would shock him if he moved around too much. Luckily enough, Loki was now an _expert_ in the art of sitting absolutely still with his legs crossed. He had a devilish grin on his face, his bright green eyes almost glinting in the dim light like a wolf's.

While Loki had become skilled in patience, Nebula was still a specialist when it came to torture. Even now, she did not make things easy for him. He was not allowed to be comfortable. He was not allowed to lay down or stretch out so he could rest. He was not offered food or water unless it was absolutely necessary. She took great pleasure in the defiant yet longing look in his eyes whenever she held water out in front of him. The precious fluid was always held _just_ outside his reach, and he knew it. If he had lunged for the water, his fingertip would just barely touch the container. Precious, life-giving fluid. So close, and yet so far.

Even had he tried for the container, he knew that he would be shocked. So, he didn't even bother trying.

"Come now," Loki said eventually, pointing at the collar carefully, "Surely you don't need this thing to satisfy your sadistic needs?"

"This attempt at winning your freedom is a rather pathetic one," she said, eyes cold as she tilted her head at him.

"Meh," Loki said with a very slight shrug. "It was worth a try. You might get lucky, though. I might not actually try to run away if you free me. Think of that?"

"No," Nebula said with a soft snort. "You are looking for your opportunity to betray me. I may be a sadist, but I am not a fool."

"What?! How insulting!" Loki said with a mocking gasp of ire. "_Why _would I ever do _that_? It's not like you're the person who loved torturing me the most in the past. It's not like you've stated repeatedly that you want to keep doing so until I break, before tossing me aside like refuse because your 'toy' broke. No, why would I _ever_ want to leave behind such a _delightful_ and _august_ company like yourself?"

"You know," Nebula said with another, more amused snort, "You're not making your case any better by saying such things."

"Oddly enough, our relationship is one of honesty," Loki said with a small sigh. "I suppose that is the one _healthy_ thing about it, wouldn't you say? You like seeing me in pain. It's your kink. And I? I am using you so that I may be kept alive and, hopefully, be free one day. So far, we have both benefitted from our relationship quite nicely, yes? However, I wonder if we could also share a common goal..."

"Oh?" Nebula tilted her head. "And what goal might that be?"

"I wonder," Loki leaned forward an inch. "How deep is that desire to defy Thanos? You've taken the first step. The hatred you feel is _very _real. Currently, it's aimed at your sister, but is it really _her_ that you should feel such hatred for? Does not Thanos deserve to feel your rage as well?"

Nebula's head tilted the other way, her jaw clenched tight. Still, she said nothing and continued to look at him. He took it as a license to continue.

"I swore revenge, but you know that already," Loki said, meeting her eyes with his own cold-green, serious gaze. "I will stop Thanos' plans in their tracks. I _know_ what he desires to do. I know he intends to collect all of the Infinity Stones and then... snap. Half of all life in the Universe will be gone. Not just all _sapient_ life. But half of _all_ living things. You realize that I could be one of the ones to disappear? You. Anyone. He intends to do it at random. A lottery if you will. Now, if there was a guarantee that I would make it, I wouldn't care all that much. And yet, to ensure that he looses, that he looses _to me_? Ah, but that is the sweetest revenge that I can think of. I will defy him to my last breath. What I am trying to figure out now, is this... would you be willing to do the same? Would you reclaim yourself, Nebula? Reclaim your _life_? Will you defy Thanos?"

Nebula remained silent as Loki spoke. She remained silent for several minutes after he stopped talking. She looked to the side and then back to him, head tilted.

"No one defies Thanos," she said in a bland tone.

"No one has yet defied him," Loki said in a gentle, corrective tone.

"He is stronger than we are," she said, tone still blank. She waved a hand at his form. "Especially you, the way you are now."

Loki carefully glanced down at his form and then chuckled softly. He looked back up at her and grinned coldly.

"I have recently spent a good amount of time on a world called 'Earth,'" he said. "The planet is... well, its' pathetic in all honesty. The creatures that live there? Humans? They are neither strong nor very smart overall. They are a weak species for the most part. Their lifespan? Pathetically short. The average intelligence? Ha! A joke! And yet... and yet in spite all of this, they continue to defy whoever tries to control them, be it their own kind or those like me. They would rather _die_ than accept their fate and their role in the Universe. Such short lives, and yet they are filled with such _spite_. Such _defiance_. I cannot help but respect them for their tenacity."

Loki fell silent and looked to the side for a moment before turning his cold eyes back to Nebula. He sneered.

"I will not, _cannot_, lose to mere _humans _in a battle of will," he snarled in a low tone. "If they can be so defiant as to stare down their own fate, their own doom, then I shall do so too. It is indeed a goal worth dying for, don't you think? So much better than living for a million years with one's head bowed, groveling and sniveling as Fate makes it her _bitch_."

Nebula stayed quiet for several minutes when he fell silent. She looked Loki over and then reached out to touch her hand to the collar. It fell away with a clattering noise. Loki remained still. Even if he acted now, he could do nothing to stop her. Nothing to harm her.

Patience...

"I will make you a deal, little toy," she murmured softly, reaching out swiftly to grab him by the throat. "Help me kill my sister and then show me how to defy Thanos. If you betray me? Well... our fun will have just begun. Even once I break you, I will continue. I will have you begging for death, but I will not give it to you. Do you understand me?"

Her voice faded into a purring growl. Loki smirked at her, thoroughly amused.

"You have a deal, Nebula," he said, and Nebula released his throat with a nod. He pointed at the round disk stuck to his neck. "Ah, would you be able to do something about this too?"

"No," Nebula said with a shake of her head and a dismissive wave of her hand. "That's not one of my toys. You've probably noticed by now that it is not just attacked to your skin. The wires are woven throughout your entire body. Wrapped around your heart, lungs, brain, and bones. If you tried to pull it out, then the pain would be far worse than anything I've ever done to you. You'd die. Naturally."

"And how would I go about removing it then?" Loki asked with a pout.

"I have no idea," Nebula said with a careless shrug. "Again, it's not one of _my _toys."

Loki groaned and rolled his shoulders, leaning back with a heavy sigh. He huffed after a moment of silence.

"So, we kill your sister?" he snorted softly. "It's been ages since I've been allowed to kill someone..."

"Cold feet?" Nebula asked a warning note to her voice.

"No," he said with a soft chuckle. "You know, it's funny. Tell someone not to do something, and they usually turn around and, as humans would say, _do the thing_."

Nebula snorted softly at the Earthism. Loki smirked at her and took on a mockery of a parent's scolding voice.

"'You can't have any ice cream!'" he said before snorting softly. "Well, guess what? I may not have even wanted ice cream, but I do now and dammit all, I _will _have that ice cream! 'You cannot have the Asgardian throne!' Right then, I was fine, just fine before... but now? Give me the throne! 'You're not allowed to hurt any humans! Wah! Bad Loki!' Oh, oh how that tempts me. Now I really, _really_ want to hurt them. Not just rule over them. "

"You sound like a petulant child," Nebula said with a bemused shake of her head.

"Says the woman who calls me her toy," Loki said in a regal, yet jovial-seeming tone. "Says the woman who only feels alive when she is allowed to _play_ with her toys. Ah... Nebula, do not worry. When you finally defy Thanos to his face, you are going to feel so very _alive_. You will _love_ it. It is a far better feeling than playing with any toy, no matter how resilient that toy may be."

"It... feels good _now_," she admitted in a soft tone.

"Oh, just you wait," Loki said with a chuckle and a dark, mad smile. "Just you wait. _It gets better_."


	46. The Guardians

"Your sister..." Loki started in a dry tone, "is inside of that _thing_?"

"Yes," Nebula responded with a small snort as their ship slowly snuck up on a ragged looking M-class spaceship. "I am certain she is on that ship, the Milano. It belongs to the self-proclaimed 'Guardians of the Galaxy.'"

"It's a piece of junk," Loki said in a disbelieving tone as he looked out the viewport. "How is it even in one piece?"

"I am... uncertain of that myself," Nebula said with a faint smile.

"Also, did you call them the 'Guardians of the Galaxy?'" Loki asked, turning to look at her with a raised brow. "That's... a rather childish name. Who the Hel came up with that?"

"The same male who came up with the moniker of 'Star-Lord,'" Nebula said.

"That is..." Loki let out a snort and a small laugh. "That's so stupid."

"Agreed," Nebula said.

Her eyes narrowed, and her finger tightened around a trigger. Laser beams shot out from their own ship, headed toward the smaller M-class ship. Loki took a step back and leaned against the wall, tugging his shirt down. He had long since ditched the clothes that he had been wearing previously. The remnants of his old Midgardian clothing weren't even fit to be cleaning rags at this point. He'd found some leftover, soldier uniforms on Nebula's ship and had donned the outfit. The clothing was loose-fitting, but still comfortable enough to suit him. A black leather top with arm guards sewn into it and a pair of matching leather pants with shin guards and heavy, metal-toed boots. His hair, grown long over the course of his capture, was pulled back in a loose ponytail and arranged so that it covered the hated metal disk on his neck.

Win he'd looked into the mirror earlier, Loki'd realized he wouldn't look out of place at one of those 'metal rock concerts' dressed as he was. Even his new weapons, all daggers, wouldn't look out of place. Several short and long blades were hidden or otherwise worn openly on his person. Still, he felt more like _himself_ than he had in ages.

Loki was brought back to the present when Nebula cursed softly. He glanced up and saw that the ship she'd been targeting had ducked into an asteroid field. He raised a brow as the ship's pilot skillfully dodged around both her shots and each and every asteroid. He let out a soft hum.

"Their pilot isn't that bad," Loki admitted grudgingly.

Nebula let their ship fall back, their ship naturally unable to keep up with such space-level-gymnastics. Nebule smirked and nodded her head toward the sheer rain of smaller asteroids and stones that now lay in front of the smaller M-class ship.

"But not good enough to evade _that_," she said in a dark tone.

They shared a cold grin as one of the many, _many_ stones struck the ship they were pursuing. Sparks flared for a brief instant before dying out. The ship shifted rapidly, banking left and right, but only took on more damage. The pilot was forced to aim their ship for the nearest planet. Loki chuckled darkly.

"They're going to have to make a crash landing," he said, sounding pleased. "Shall we go greet them?"

"Yes," Nebula said with a vicious, victorious sounding hiss. "Remember, you may help me in dealing with them, but _I_ will be the one to end Gamora's life."

"Fine by me," Loki said with an uncaring shrug. "What about the rest of them? Do you want them dead or alive?"

"Don't care," Nebula said with a shake of her head. "Kill them or leave them alive to wallow in their despair. Just leave Gamora to me."

"Oh, but how you _spoil_ me," he said with a laugh.

Nebula let out a snort and hit the thrusters, aiming their ship for the planet the M-class ship was heading for. The planet in question turned out to be heavily forested. There didn't seem to be any sapient life developing on the planet, but there was a _lot_ of native wildlife. Nebula landed their ship near the smoking crash site, but far enough away that those on board could not fire at them. Nebula looked over her scanners and hummed, standing and moving for the exit bay.

"It seems that there are others on the planet beyond us and the Guardians," she said in a bland tone. "There is another ship nearby. A large one."

"Ah, what a shame. Well, I suppose as long as they do not get in our way, it won't matter, yes? If they _do_ try to interrupt us, then we can just kill them!" Loki said with a smirk. Nebula grinned at him.

"I'm glad that you are not stupid," Nebula said drily.

"Why, thank you. I imagine I'd be far more boring if I was," Loki said with a bemused huff as they stepped off the ship. "Though, to be honest, when the only option before you is to kill or be killed, it's not a difficult choice to make, yes?"

Nebula let out a dark bark of laughter. It took only a few minutes to find the ship. Loki let out a snort of amusement, not bothering to muffle the noise. There was no need to bother with stealth. These so-called _Guardians_ were loud enough to wake the dead! Even at roughly a mile off, Loki and Nebula could hear them shouting at each other.

"You _ruined_ my ship, Rocket!" a highly agitated male voice yelled.

"You could have just let me pilot the thing without forcing me out of the seat!" another, higher-pitched male voice shouted back. "I'm the best pilot in the galaxy!"

"No, you're not!" the first male yelled back. "That's _my_ title and also _my _ship!"

"Would both of you two stop it?!" a groaned an annoyed female voice. Gamora. Even now, Loki could recognize the woman's voice. "Either of you could have handled flying the ship if you had just not acted like _babies_ fighting over a _toy_!"

"I am Groot!" an even smaller voice shouted in a saddened tone.

"Ah... perhaps we should not fight right now?" a third male said in a tone of voice void of emotion. "The little plant man is now sad."

"Shut up, Drax!" the first male shouted, clearly exasperated.

Loki and Nebula stopped a short distance from the group. From their vantage point, they had a clear view of the rag-tag group assembled in front of them. Loki shook his head slightly. Not a single one of them had noticed the pair's presence, and they hadn't even bothered to conceal themselves! Amateurs.

A male, looking to be human, was busy arguing with a... what looked like a talking _raccoon._ A green-skinned woman, Gamora herself, stood between the pair with her hands raised. She was clearly trying to end the fighting without breaking anyone's skulls open. There was a tiny, tree-like being next to them, also trying to break up the fight by tugging at the raccoon's hand. A male, blue-gray skinned alien covered in reddish markings stood nearby with a frown marring his face. The poor man looked like his head was about to burst from overthinking.

Loki shook his head, feeling decidedly stunned by the sight in front of him. What an absolute bunch of losers. The group that Gamora had decided to join was filled with a pack of _idiots_. What was the woman _thinking_?

"Gamora is mine," Nebula reiterated, not that she needed to.

She stepped forward, lifting her pistol and firing at Gamora. Despite having been with this group of clowns, Gamora's instincts were still honed enough for her to dodge out of the way of her sister's shot, if just barely. The group spread out, eyes wide and staring their way in shock. Nebula walked forward like a mindless machine, gun, and eyes locked on Gamora's form.

"Woah now! Hey! Nebula!" the male human said, raising his hands toward his chest and smiling a wide, nervous smile. "Good to see you and all but what are you-?"

Rather than finish his question, his hand darted into his jacket. He pulled out a small pistol, took aim at Nebula, and fired back at the blue-skinned woman. His movements were surprisingly faster than what Loki would expect from a normal human. Still, even that extra bit of speed didn't mean he could _hit_ Loki's erstwhile companion. Nebula was able to easily avoid the shot. Gamora took the opening and darted for her sister. Nebula was ready for that, however. The pair rapidly found themselves locked in hand to hand combat with Nebula constantly trying to aim her gun at Gamora and Gamora skillfully blocking or deflecting her sister's attempts at sororicide.

"Gamora!" the human male shouted worriedly.

The male's pistol darted about as he tried to get a clear shot on Nebula. Loki let out a snort, running over and smacking the male upside the head hard enough to knock him to the ground. He kicked the weapon from the other male's hand. The remaining three of the group, the blue-gray skinned male, the raccoon, and the small tree, stared at Loki in shock as Loki let out a bellow of joy.

"Oh, but that felt _so_ good!" Loki shouted with a laugh, reaching down to grab a handful of the human's hair. The male yelped, and dazedly swatted at Loki's hands. Loki. "'You can't hurt humans, Loki! Leave the poor things alone!' Well, what if _I want to hurt them_?!"

He threw the human to the side and rolled his shoulders. He turned toward the other three and grinned. The raccoon wiggled his fingers about in a circular sort of gesture before pointing at Loki.

"And who the hell are _you_ supposed to be?" he asked in a tone that was as much dry as it was wary.

"Oh, me? I'm with her," Loki jerked a thumb over his shoulder to point at Nebula, who had just dodged a sweeping kick, pointed her gun at Gamora's stomach, only to have her gun _punched_ into the air. The blue-skinned woman let out a frustrated shriek but managed to catch the weapon without losing _much_ ground to her green-skinned, adoptive sister. "Need to do what she tells me to do. At least for the moment."

"Uh-huh," the raccoon said as the group, up to an including the slightly concussed human male that Loki had thrown, watched the pair fight for a few more moments. "You do realize that crazy bitch is like, one of the biggest sadists in the known universe, right?"

Yeah, not a single one of them was stupid enough to get in the way of _that_ little domestic sibling fight. The raccoon looked back at Loki and raised a furry brow at him.

"Oh, trust me," Loki said with a slightly mad smirk. "I am well aware of that fact."

"The hell are you?" the raccoon asked with a snort of dry amusement, tapping the side of his head. "Some kinda messed up in the head masochist?"

"Come now, didn't you hear me the first time?" Loki said with a bark of laughter. "I do as she tells me... _at least for the moment_!"

Loki swiftly drew two of his daggers, lunging for the group in front of him. The raccoon darted to the side, swifter than the mammal he looked like with the little tree-being on his heels. The bigger guy rushed for him with a roar. Loki laughed and easily dodged to the side, causing the broad-shouldered male to stumble when his charge failed to connect. Ah, but Loki did love fighting this kind of an opponent. Big. Strong...

And so very, _very_ stupid.

Funnily enough, the human male, Quill, seemed to have decided that fighting Loki wasn't a big concern. No, his focus seemed entirely on getting to Gamora and helping her fight Nebula. Not that he'd be anything but a hindrance. Still, that suited Loki just fine. He had his hands full with the raccoon, who was turning out to be a clever little _shit,_ and the big guy. Loki had already lost sight of the little tree, but that was fine. Little thing was _smart_ to hide.

"Damned raccoon!" Loki managed to kick the raccoon. "You're more annoying than the rodents back on Earth!"

"I don't know what the hell a 'raccoon' is! Name's Rocket!" the little bastard shouted back, pulling out a jury-rigged weapon, and how the _hell _did that thing _work, _and firing it at Loki. Loki had to drop to the ground to avoid the shot, leg sweeping out in a kick to trip the big guy at the same time. "Dammit! Stop dodging and die, will ya?!"

"You little-!" Loki snarled as he pushed up into a crouch, only to wince as a sharp whistle, loud and impossibly crisp sounded through the air.

There was a blur of narrow, reddish light zoomed through the air. Nebula let out a scream of pain as the object pierced her body, thankfully not killing her. Loki dropped back to the ground just in time to avoid getting hit himself. The fighting stopped immediately, and the blur flew off to the side, coming to hover over another blue-skinned alien slowly sauntering into the field like he owned the place. An arrow?

"Well, well, well," the man said with a chuckle as he walked toward them. "Who started the party without _me_?! Not even an invite? Tsk, tsk. Not very nice of you that."

Loki carefully pushed himself back into a crouched position as he looked the newcomer over. He was an older, scruffy-looking drifter of a male. His chin was covered with white stubble, and he had a short, metallic-looking mohawk on his head. Loki might have thought that they could deal with the male, despite his unique weapon, except for the fact that he was not _alone._ A whole group of people stepped out from the tree-line, weapons in hand, and dark grins on their faces. Every one of them was armed with either several knives, guns, spears, and other weapons. The guy with the arrow was definitely their leader.

"Ah... hey Yondu," the human said with a nervous laugh. "And I see you brought all the Scavengers with you too! I'm flattered! _So_ good to see you guys again."

"I'll just bet," the male, Yondu said with a laugh. The grin faded, and he shook his head, letting out another small 'tsk' of sound. "You've been a hard one to track down, boy. You know that?"

"Yeah, well... you could just say you didn't find me, right?" Quill, the smartass, asked with a clap of his hands.

"Yeah, you see... I don't want to do this boy, but," Yondu shook his head, and Quill winced slightly. "A job is a job. You know that."

"Come on, boss!" one of the men behind Yondu shouted, bloodlust in his voice. "Let's just kill them already!"

Yondu held up his hand, turning to look at the man over his shoulder, the arrow rotating about to point at the person who'd spoken up. The male winced and ducked back a step. Yondu looked over the rest of the group before turning back to Quill, holding his hands out with a smile.

"Ain't got to reason to kill ya," he said in an amicable tone. "Just come on, nice and easy boy. The rest of you too. We're gonna go onto our ship, all nice and peaceful like, and then turn you in for your bounties."

His eyes narrowed as he looked Loki and Nebula over. He flicked a dismissive hand their way.

"The Guardians, that is," he said with a laugh. "I ain't got no use for you two. Go ahead and scram, yeah?"

"You stay out of this," Nebula hissed back, hand covering the sparking hole on her shoulder. Loki could see the damaged wires under her fingers from where he was. "I am a Daughter of Thanos, and you will _not_ interrupt my mission! Which is to _kill her_!"

Her functioning hand lifted, and she pointed harshly at Gamora. Gamora rolled her eyes and let out a scoff. Nebula almost lunged for her sister, only to stop when another whistle filled the air and the arrow buried in front of Nebula's face. Both women stared at the arrow with widened eyes.

"Well now... that'll be a bit of a problem," Yondu said with another, kindly seeming chuckle. "A conflict of interest, if you see what I'm laying down? I'm supposed to catch and deliver the Guardians, _all_ of the Guardians, to my client. And little green miss here? She's one of 'em. Can't go having you kill off my bounty, can I?"

The arrow moved closer to Nebula's face, coming to a stop right against the center of her forehead. Yondu let out a small, seemingly mournful sigh.

"Still, I got an easy way to solve that little conflict, sweet-heart," he said. His tone turned dark. "And that's by killing _you._"

"HEY! Blueberry!" Rocket shouted suddenly.

Everyone's head whipped around to look at the small, clever little bastard. Loki's eyes widened. He'd used their conversation and his small size to his advantage and made his way to the top of the Guardian's space ship. In his hands was a gun bigger than he was, aimed right for Yondu himself.

"Maybe you should be worryin' about yourself, yeah?" Rocket said with a whooping laugh, the small tree-being on his shoulder. "See ya sucker!"

All hell broke loose as Rocket pulled the trigger. Yondu was barely able to shield himself, his arrow moving to his side and away from Nebula. The other 'Scavengers,' as Quill had called them, scattered in a mad dash to avoid being cut down by the hail of weapon's fire Rocket was sending their way.

"Run for it!" Quill shouted.

The Guardian's bolted, Rocket tossing his weapon aside as it ran out of ammo. Wise. Trying to run while lugging that around would have been a bad idea. Nebula tried to lunge for Gamora as her sister turned and fled, but the injury to her form looked to be worse than it had first appeared to be. One of the Scavenger's nearby started toward her rather than follow Yondu's orders to chase after the Guardian's.

"You Thanos' Daughter, eh?" he asked with a dark laugh. "Supposed to be tough, right? Man... ya know, if people get told that _I _killed ya? I would be famous and shit..."

Nebula's eyes narrowed. She may have been wounded, but she was hardly an easy kill. Still, before she could do anything, a dagger flicked out and slit open the man's throat. A gout of blood rained over her form as the body fell, revealing Loki behind her. She hissed at him.

"I didn't need your _help_!" she growled at him.

"I know that. Just saving you some time is all," Loki said, bending down in front of her. "Climb on. And don't accuse me of helping you. Again, my only desire is to save us some time, yes? We'd hardly want to miss Sister Dear's demise, now do we?"

Nebula snarled, but his argument worked. She climbed onto his back without much fuss, wrapping her good arm around Loki to hold tight. He broke into a run after the group.

Not that it was easy to _find_ anyone. The Guardians had done the smart thing and had split up. Loki paused at a fork in the forest, the footprints leading off in two different directions. With all the foot traffic, Loki could only guess which way Gamora herself had gone. He sighed and took the right-most path.

He chose wisely it seemed. Another space-craft flew overhead, heading the same direction he'd chosen to go. This one looked to be more advanced, more put together than the others.

It didn't look like a piece of crap for one...

Still, Loki was hit with a wave of disappointment as he caught up to the group. It was just Rocket and the little tree-being. The Scavengers had the pair surrounded. Yondu was with them, and the group was arguing. Why would they...?

_Oh..._ Loki thought with a blink. _That's why._

The Scavengers had turned on their leader, fed up with the man's attitude. It took less than five minutes for the mutiny to be concluded, Yondu knocked out, and his metal mohawk ripped off, Loki and Nebula watching on from a safe distance. Loki spoke up, keeping his voice soft.

"Nebula, if I may," Loki started in a dry tone, not really giving her a chance to respond as he spoke. "You are injured, your right arm is useless. We would need a spare to replace it or a significant amount of parts to even begin repairing it. We have neither. A giant ship full of scavengers and their stolen goods may be useful to us."

"I... see where you are going with this," Nebula responded softly. "Very well. Put me down."

Loki nodded and lowered her to the ground, allowing her to move ahead of him. He kept his head bowed to make it seem as if he was nothing more than a servant. Servants were all too often overlooked by the unwary. Nebula stepped forward with all the confidence of a regal warrior.

"Do you know who I am?" she asked, head raised proudly.

"It's one of Thanos' daughters," one of the men said in an awed, fearful tone. They could work with fear.

"You will allow myself and my pet to board your ship as guests," Nebula ordered with a sneer. "Comply or face Thanos' wrath."

Nebula's tone and the fear of her father caused the remaining Scavengers to cower and submit to her orders. They led the pair over to the ship, bowing and scraping like the cowards they were. Nebula moved as if she owned the ship. Loki stayed behind her, careful to keep his head down and his smile hidden. They were led to the finest room on the ship, not that great, really, but it was the Captain's quarters.

Anything less would have been an insult.

"That was your perfect chance to escape," Nebula pointed out, turning to face him with a frown once they were alone.

"Escape from what?" Loki asked with a smirk.

Nebula's frown deepened to a confused scowl.

"We had a deal, did we not?" Loki asked, his own smirk fading to a dark frown. "I help you... and then _you_ help _me_. And I do need your help."

"You... you truly intend to defy, to challenge, Thanos?" Nebula asked. It was if she was just now understanding how very serious he had been when speaking of such things.

"I do, Nebula," Loki said, tilting his head as he looked back at her. "I intend to defy him to my last breath for what he did to me. He turned me into his _pawn_. Not only that, but I intend to interfere with his plan to play _god_ and wipe out half of all life in the universe. As I said, I _need _your assistance, Nebula. I need you to act as my witness as I explain the situation to Asgard. To Odin and Thor. As of right now, thanks to your Brother's ambush, they will likely be assuming that I ran away, fleeing my punishment and harming the Doctor I had been with. _You_ will be my witness to the truth. That Thanos is the one who is the threat, not me. Who better than one of his own daughters to reveal this to them?"

"Ah..." Nebula nodded her head thoughtfully as he finished speaking. "So, you would have me owe you a favor by assisting me and then immediately call in that debt to your advantage."

"Basically," Loki nodded and shrugged his shoulder. "Yes."

"Hn," Nebula turned away from him, walking toward the washroom and calling over her shoulder. "I have not decided yet what to do with you. Keep being useful to me, and perhaps I will not break every bone in your body. Understood?"

"Yes ma'am," Loki responded with a cheeky smirk.


	47. cell talk

Loki casually strolled down the halls of the Scavengers ship with his hands clasped behind his back. He kept his head high, a smirk curling his lips upwards. The Scavengers knew him only as Nebula's servant, and thus avoided him when they could. He made his way down to the holding cells and found the prisoners he wanted to see, namely the creature that looked almost exactly like a Midguardian raccoon.

"Well, well," the raccoon said with a sneer that showed off his sharp teeth. "What's this? Ain't you the guy who's 'totally not Nebula's play-thing?'"

"Think what you will," Loki responded with a smirk.

"Think?" Rocket said with a bark of laughter. "Yeah, right. Your words, buddy. 'I only do what she tells me to do _for now.' _Yeah, you're totally not a sick, perverted masochist. Sure. What a _cute wittle pet _you make."

"Tell me," Loki asked with a drawl, his smirk turning into a wide grin. "What zoo did you escape from? It must be nice to be back in a cage where you belong."

"What was that asshole!?" the raccoon snarled at him, standing up with hands clenched. It was almost adorable how his fur rose on end as well, puffing up to make him look bigger.

"Settle down, Rocket," Yondu said from the back corner of the cell. The blue-skinned male was leaning calmly against the wall. "He's playing with you."

"Ah, so Rocket _is_ your name. I see," Loki sat down in front of the cell, crossing his legs and making himself comfortable.

"What do you want, huh?" Rocket asked with a huff, crossing his arms. His fur slowly settled back against his body as he calmed. "Your mistress get tired of you or somethin'?"

"No," Loki said with a shake of his head. "I have no interest in this ship. Nor do I have any particular interest in how things will go for the two of you. What I _do_ have an interest in is information. Those other guys, the surviving crew? They really screwed up in ousting you as their leader, didn't they Yondu?"

Loki turned his head to look at the blue-skinned alien directly, a smirk on his lips.

"You've got all the brains this ship had to offer," Loki said drily, causing the other man to let out a snort of amused agreement. "The rest of the fools upstairs will be lucky to find one brain-cell to share between them."

"I stayed alive for this long, now, didn't I?" Yondu said with a sharp, toothy grin. "Ya don't manage to do _that_ in this line o' business without havin' brains."

"Indeed," Loki said with a chuckle. "Now then, the two of you are travelers of the galaxy. You know your way around. Perhaps then, we can make a deal? Hm? You tell me what I want to know, and I put you in a nice little ship so you can escape from these goons."

"You're still gonna try an' kill Gamora though, ain't ya?" Rocket asked with a hiss.

"That is what Nebula wants," Loki said with a sigh and a shrug. "I don't care either way. Why? Planning on trying to stop her from doing so from inside a cage?"

Rocket bared his sharp teeth, sneering angrily at Loki. Loki almost laughed with the raccoon's tail puffed up like a bottle brush. Still, he forced down the urge. Yondu himself held out his hand, a similar gesture to what he'd used to quell the Scavengers. Rocket caught the gesture out of the corner of his eye, and, surprisingly enough, the raccoon stepped back, tail smoothing down. Really now, the blue-skinned alien carried himself with such a superior air of authority that it wasn't truly all that shocking that such hand gestures worked. Loki found himself duly impressed with the man.

"What kind o' information are ya needin'?" Yondu asked with a tilt of his head.

"Asgard," Loki said firmly. "I need to find an entrance to Asgard."

"You... you need _what_ now?" Yondu asked, surprise flashing over his face. He burst into laughter a moment later, practically howling.

"Wait a sec, did you say you need to get to Asgard?" Rocket asked. He snorted, burst into laughter, and then fell to the ground, sniggering. "You seriously wanna get into _Asgard_ of all places? What a joke!"

Loki almost frowned at the pair, his eyes flickering slightly with his annoyance. His lips twitched downwards despite his efforts to keep his face blank and calm.

"Wait a sec," Rocket pushed himself up onto his elbows and eyed Loki's face. He fell back to his howling a second later. "He's serious! Hah! Oh, that's some funny shit right there!"

"Look, kid," Yondu said, his chuckles dying down and his expression turning serious. "No one goes to Asgard other than the Asgardian's themselves. The pompous assholes call themselves 'gods' like their special and above everyone else just 'cause they live so long. They sit nice and comfy behind a nice, impenetrable force-field that covers their entire world. If anyone does get close? Yeah... no. They get shot down right quick if they don't have the 'proper clearance.' Those self-proclaimed _gods_ sit one their golden throne, year after year, without doin' a damn thing to help anyone. They ain't given a single shit about what's actually going on in the Universe around them. An' when one o' 'em comes out here? Out from behind their golden gates? The arrogant assholes look down on everyone else around them like they're special. Hah! Asgard? Nah, they haven't done _shit_ for anyone for over a thousand years. You don't want to go there, kid."

"Is that really how most of the Universe views Asgard?" he asked, tilting his head. He was very curious about Yondu's observations.

"Well, some folks really do think the Asgardians _are_ gods an' worship them an all. Fuckin' idiots, though, ha!" he laughed and tapped the side of his head. "Thing is, most of us have more than one brain cell and don't fall for that stupid shit. Asgardian's are just arrogant asswipes who think they're better than anyone else. Thinking they're oh so special 'cause they have long lives and have this big strong shield that no one can get through."

"You... may have a point there," Loki admitted with a thoughtful blink. "Heh... you know, it feels nice to hear that others have such a low opinion of them. To be frank, I find it quite refreshing.

"Oh, don't tell me you're from one of those idiotic planets that think that Asgard is the best?" Rocket asked with a bark of laughter, sitting up once more.

"Oh, I think you'll find that I am from the place that is the _absolute worst_ when it comes to believing that," Loki said with an amused smirk. "The one place that puts Asgard as the center of everything. That Asgard is the very pinnacle of creation! The center of all! Flawless!"

"Oh?" Rocket let out a whoop of amusement and leaned back on his paws. Or was it hands? "What planet is that, eh? Please tell me? I wanna go there and point a finger at them and laugh my ass off."

"Which place thinks that Asgard is perfection personified?" Loki asked with a smirk, bowing his head mockingly. "Why I speak of Asgard itself, of course."

The pair behind the bars fell silent and stared at him for a long moment. Rocket stared at him, jaw dropped in honest shock. He let out a bark of laughter and shook his head.

"Wait a sec, you're tellin' me that I'm talkin' to a bonified Asgardian?!" Rocket let out a whoop of laughter and stuck his hand out toward Loki. "Woah, look at this Yondu, we got ourselves a _god_ blessing us with his holy presence! Should I bow or somethin'?"

"Ya know, this is interesting," Yondu said with a small chuckle. "We have one of those fancy Asgardian's lost all the way out here in the galaxy's backwaters? And the _poor kid_ is trying to find his way back home? Awww. How sad is that? Yeah. Sorry kid, the only ones who know all the ways, front and back, into Asgard would be the Asgardians themselves. Wrack your own brain, boyo."

Loki tilted his head with a small frown. He let out a thoughtful hum. It was true. He knew of some avenues in and out. But most of them required magic... which he didn't have right now.

"What, you gonna cry now?" Rocket asked with a snicker.

"Hardly," Loki said with a chuckle. "And although I did not get the information I needed, you still gave me something to work with. I highly appreciate that. So, I suppose a token of my appreciation is in order, yes?"

He stood up and tossed a small object into the cell as he moved. Rocket caught the item easily enough in his small hands and then blinked down at what he had in the palms of his hands. He blinked, staring at the small, shiny metal object glistening in the light. It was a key. Specifically, the key to their cell. Rocket blinked again and looked up at Loki in surprise.

"I have something else as well," Loki said with a small chuckle. "Specifically for you, Rocket."

Loki reached into his pocket and carefully pulled out a rather bedraggled looking, tree-like being. The poor thing looked tired, exhausted, and generally pitiful. He set the little guy on the ground. It immediately ran through the bars towards Rocket, allowing Rocket to grab him and hug him tight.

"Groot!" Rocket shouted, tone both happy and worried as he held the little thing close.

"Even I am not so heartless as to stand and watch as a bunch of brainless brutes pick on such a tiny thing," Loki said with a soft sigh.

"I am Groot," the little tree said with a small sniffle.

"They did _what_?!" Rocket shouted, his eyes widening as he held up the little tree. "They poured beer on you?!"

"I am Groot," the small creature repeated. Loki tilted his head as he watched the pair.

"They _kicked_ you?!" Rocket drew the little guy into a tight hug.

"I am Groot," the being said for a third time, sounding mournful and scared.

"Oh, but they are going to _pay_," Rocket said with a low growl.

"It was a rather pathetic sight," Loki said, he grinned a moment later. "It was quite satisfying to beat them all up a bit. They're all still alive if you want to beat them up further. Right then, I'm done here. Have fun escaping."

"Okay, hold up," Rocket snapped out, his expression confused as he held his little friend close. "Seriously, man, what the fuck is your deal, huh? What do you want?"

"What do I want? Well... if you really want to know..." Loki tilted his head, his smirk widening and becoming quite evil. "I want to fuck over Thanos."

"I..." Rocket gaped at him. "You _what_?!"

Loki simply smirked and gave the little raccoon a small nod and a jaunty salute. He turned and walked away, leaving the two to make their own way out of the cell.


End file.
